EST April 2013

April 2013 www.emergencyservicestimes.com Volume 14 | 2

www.emergencyservicest imes.com Emergency Services Times Apri l 2013

ESTCONTENTS | 1

IN EVERY ISSUE Comment 3News 4Events 12People 27Profile 35, 67,72Kit Evolution 36Company Profile 56Products 68

IN THIS ISSUEComms & IT 15This feature includes: details from the Home Officeon the Emergency Services MobileCommunications Programme (ESMCP), whichaims to deliver secure and interoperablecommunications to all three emergency servicesthroughout Great Britain; Airwave outlines howcritical it is for emergency services to have fastand reliable access to data; and Capita takes alook at how effective communications canimprove resilience, contingency andinteroperability.

Interoperability 28The helicopter crash in central London highlightsmulti-agency collaboration in the Capital – RitaDexter, Deputy Commissioner at London FireBrigade, looks at partnership working betweenthe emergency services in London. Plus anupdate from the Joint Emergency ServicesInteroperability Programme (JESIP) takes a lookat the work of its Operational CommunicationsWorkstream.

Medical 39Includes a profile of Public Health England, whichtook up its full responsibilities on 1 April. A reportfrom the Independent Ambulance Association(IAA) calls for a closer working relationship be-tween public and private ambulance services;and we take a look at the capabilities and suc-cesses of the HART programme.

Vehicles 50NAPFM celebrates 40 years of supplyingsustainable fleet solutions in the face of spendingcuts; Bristow Helicopters is awarded thecontract to provide search and rescue services inthe UK; WH Bence supplies a new concept ICUto Cleveland Fire Brigade; and a high impact carcrash simulator targets young drivers inLeicestershire.

Emergency Services Times Apri l 2013 www.emergencyservicest imes.com

2 | ESTA-Z

Company Name Page No Company Name Page No Company Name Page No Company Name Page No

Amazon Medical.......................................................26

Amputees in Action .................................................38

Babcock International........................................29, 34

British Red Cross......................................................18

Civica ......................................................................IFC

County Durham Emergency Medical Services Ltd............................................71

DMS technologies ....................................................64

Dr Martens ................................................................38

Excelerate Technology Ltd................................20, 21

FAB Recycling..........................................................71

Getac UK...................................................................26

Goliath Footwear..................................................9, 11

HAAGEN Fire Training Products .........................49

Intersurgical ..............................................................44

Land Rover ...................................................47, 49, 51

Lyon Equipment Limited .........................................8

North Fire plc ......................................................31,33

PageOne.....................................................................14

Peli Products (UK) Ltd ...........................................33

Physio-Control..........................................................40

Pickup Systems Ltd .................................................54

Premier Hazard..............................................OFC, 58

Primetech ............................................................31, 64

Red Box Recorders Limited....................................17

RSG Engineering Limited ......................................64

Ruth Lee Limited.....................................................40

Serco Combined Resilience.....................................26

SP Services (UK) Ltd ..........................................OBC

Strongs Plastic Products ..........................................51

Toyobo..........................................................................6

University of Leicester.............................................18

Vimpex Limited .......................................................29

WH Bence .................................................................62

World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine ........................................IBC

Advert isers

CompaniesAirwave ....................................................15, 19, 30, 32

AJ Electrical Services ...............................................57

Ambulex.....................................................................12

Ansell .........................................................................68

Association of Ambulance Chief Executives ...41, 46

Association of Chief Police Officers .................27, 53

Avon Fire and Rescue Service...................................7

Babcock................................................................11, 63

Bandel Innovations, LLC........................................46

Blizzard Protection Systems....................................13

Blue & Amber Light Fleet Exhibition.............12, 50

The Blue Lamp Foundation....................................67

BMW..........................................................................63

Bristow Helicopters ..................................................55

British Transport Police ...........................................52

Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service .............4

Cabinet Office Emergency Planning College ........32

Cambridge Airport Fire Service................................5

Cambridgeshire Constabulary.................................27

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service ................5

Capita .....................................................................3, 23

Carbon Monoxide Awareness..................................47

CATO Conference ....................................................12

CEGA Air Ambulance ...............................................5

CFOA National Resilience ..................................3, 11

Civil Aviation Authority ............................................9

Cleveland Fire Brigade.............................................59

College of Paramedics ..............................................13

Community Resilience UK cic .................................4

Connexion2 ...............................................................69

Cosalt Workwear .........................................................5

Crowcon.....................................................................68

Dallmeier ...................................................................68

Department for Communities and Local Government................................................11

Department for Transport........................................25

Department of Health ..............................................43

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service ........7

DMS technologies ....................................................61

Dr Martens ..........................................................36, 37

Draeger Safety UK Ltd..............................................4

Driving Standards Agency ........................................7

Dyfed-Powys Police ..................................................27

East Midlands Ambulance Service .........................63

East of England Ambulance Service.......................27

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service ......................15

The Emergency Services Show 2013..........12, 13, 67

EVO Ltd ....................................................................57

Ferno ....................................................................61, 68

The Fire Fighters Charity .......................................67

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

Fire Industry Association ..........................................7

FLIR Systems ...........................................................70

Ford ............................................................................65

Foyle Search & Rescue ...............................................5

FUELlink Systems...................................................66

GGP Systems.............................................................25

Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service ...............24

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service..........7

Gwent Police..............................................................27

HAAGEN ..................................................................50

Health and Care Professions Council.....................13

Health Protection Agency .......................................39

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service ..................23

Hi-Tec Sports UK Ltd..............................................69

Home Office ........................................................15, 52

Home Office CAST ..................................................53

Hope Cove Lifeboat..................................................66

Hövding .....................................................................69

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service.......................9

Independent Ambulance Association ....................41

International Fire Training Centre...........................9

Intersurgical ..............................................................45

JESIP..................................................11, 15, 28, 30, 32

Kent Fire and Rescue Service .................................10

Lancashire Constabulary .........................................52

Leeds Bradford Airport..............................................9

Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Road Safety Partnership.......................................65

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service..................65

LHD Group (United Kingdom) Ltd .......................7

Life Connections ................................................12, 41

Lion Apparel Systems Ltd.........................................7

London Ambulance Service ..............................27, 28

London Emergency Services Liaison Panel..........28

London Fire Brigade............................................7, 28

Lone Worker Safety 2013.........................................12

Lyon Equipment Ltd ...............................................70

Maritime and Coastguard Agency ......................5, 55

Maritime Incident Response Group.......................10

Medica 2013...............................................................12

Mercedes Benz ..........................................................13

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.......................16

Metropolitan Police Service ..............................25, 28

Metz Aerials...............................................................63

NASHiCS Learning and Development Forum.....12

National Air Ambulance Week ...............................12

National Ambulance Resilience Unit.....................42

National Association of Police Fleet Managers ....................................50, 52

National Coastwatch Institution.............................72

National Policing Improvement Agency ...............52

Norfolk Constabulary...............................................23

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service ............................23

North Fire plc ...........................................................63

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service............4

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service ..............5

Northumbria Police..................................................27

Nottingham Trent University .................................10

Novell .........................................................................15

PageOne .....................................................................22

PhysioControl ...........................................................46

PolAmb Products Ltd ..............................................48

Police Scotland............................................................4

Police Service of Northern Ireland .......................5, 9

Premier Hazard.........................................................56

Primetech...................................................................24

Public Health England.......................................39, 43

QinetiQ ......................................................................60

RedFoot......................................................................59

RNLI............................................................................5

Ruth Lee Ltd.............................................................48

Safety and Health Expo............................................12

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service ..................9, 27, 35

SDMO Energy Limited ...........................................69

shentongroup ..............................................................9

Sorbus International.................................................68

South East London, Kent and Medway Trauma Network .....................................7

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.....................27

SP Services.................................................................48

States of Jersey Police .................................................4

Suffolk Constabulary................................................23

Sussex Police .............................................................53

Tactical Ventilation Solutions .................................13

Tower Light (UK) Limited .....................................69

Transport for London...............................................25

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service.................27

UK Steel Enterprise .................................................66

Uniform Express Ltd ...............................................41

Vauxhall Special Vehicles.....................................9, 66

Vimpex Limited..........................................................4

W L Gore & Associates (UK) Ltd ............................4

Wasp Barcode Technologies.....................................22

West Midlands Ambulance Service ........................42

WH Bence..................................................................59

Whiteknights...............................................................5

World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine............................................43

World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine .....................................12, 43

WRVS.........................................................................67

ESTCOMMENT | 3

Breathing new life into The Fire Service CollegeWords: Jez Smith, Director, Capita

The Fire Service College at Moreton-in-Marsh is well established as thelargest single provider of specialistoperational fire and rescue trainingin the UK. Capita’s recentacquisition of the College is set totransform it into a world class facility– and Capita has got a lot ofexperience and capability that itintends to draw upon to get it to that status.

Capita is no newcomer when itcomes to the emergency servicesmarket. It currently supplies servicesand products to around 67 percent offire and rescue services and 100percent of UK police forces. Inaddition, every ambulance inEngland, Scotland and Wales isconnected using Capita’s technology. It also supplies advancedcontrol room solutions to 139 public safety facilities across theUK and Ireland. Indeed Capita isn’t a newcomer in thelearning environment either. It is well versed in delivering staffengagement, personal, professional and curriculumdevelopment, and accreditation to both the public and privatesector in 25 countries. Pooling this experience means that notonly does Capita ‘get’ the needs of emergency servicesresponders, but it also ‘gets’ training too – and the importanceof delivering value for money.

“The College already providesa joined up approach totraining and Capita is

committed to continuing andgrowing this significantly in the

months and years ahead.”

The College is set for significant investment to modernise theexisting facilities and enhance and increase the scope ofpractical training that existing and future customers will beable to receive. For many people working in the fire and rescueservice today, the College is viewed with respect and a sense ofnostalgia. It’s the place they come to early on in their careers

and revisit as they continue to develop andare promoted. But the pressures on thissector have changed dramatically in the last10 years, with emergency responders oftenfacing unique challenges. This means thatthe way in which we help them prepare toface these challenges must change radicallytoo.

Seldom do emergency responders workin isolation. We only need to look back afew years to find examples of majorincidents. The Buncefield disaster, theSummer riots of 2011, acts of terrorism orwide scale flooding have all demandedmore effective ways of emergencyresponders working together. Not just interms of physical ‘interoperability’, but alsoin the way they share information aboutevents unfolding and using new technology

to get the right skills to the right location at the right time.Capita’s vision for the College is to build a resilience trainingorganisation that delivers common and consistent standards ofleadership, command and technical training across the rangeof emergency services sectors and also into related areas, whichroutinely deal with emergency situations including highways,rail and utilities. The College already provides this joined upapproach to training and Capita is committed to continuingand growing this significantly in the months and years ahead.

A new type of CollegeIt’s also important to create a new type of College, which isn’t

simply bound by its physical location and instead is accessibleto emergency responders, regardless of their location. It willalso make the most of e-learning, ‘off-peak’ courses, regionalcentres and bespoke training on location in the UK andinternationally. This will support the development ofoperational capability across fire and rescue services. TheCollege has a variety of vital capital assets, such as specialisedurban search and rescue rigs, train derailments and motorwaypile-ups, which means that the facility at Moreton-in-Marshwill continue to draw clients from both the UK andinternationally.

Transforming the College into a world-class training anddevelopment facility won’t be done in isolation. Capita willwork with CFOA National Resilience, and be guided by theLGA and leaders from the wider response community. Thiswill ensure that the training reflects and supports currentoperational guidance across all emergency sectors.

We know that the pressures emergency responders face everyday are mounting – and as budgets are further scrutinised, theemergency services sector is being asked to deliver much morefor less. We need to equip emergency responders with theknowledge, skills and experience so they can do their jobs in away that protects the public without risking their own safety.By developing capability both individually and in groups,delivering high quality training against common standards andfocusing on flexibility and value for money, we hope that theCollege will deliver learning tools that help overcome thesechallenges.www.capita.co.ukwww.fireservicecollege.ac.uk

ISSN 1472-1090

Date: April 2013

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4 | ESTNEWS

Draeger Safety UK Ltd has beenawarded the contract to supplybreathing apparatus (BA) andassociated equipment to bothNorthamptonshire (NFRS) andBuckinghamshire (BFRS) fire andrescue services. Fully covered byDräger’s Total Care servicingpackage, the contract includes: BAsets (telemetry enabled for NFRS),cylinders (nine litre, 300 bar)enhanced BA communications,telemetry entry control boards (NFRS)and a range of ancillary equipment,including retractable personal lines.www.draeger.com

W L Gore & Associates (UK) Ltd,which employs approximately 500people at its UK plants in Livingstonand Dundee, has been named thebest company to work for in Scotlandfor the 10th year in a row! Achievingoverall 10th position on the UK Top100 list published in The SundayTimes on 3 March, and onwww.bestcompanies.co.uk, Goretopped the lists for Scotland andManufacturing, and featured in fourof the overall Top Ten lists. Gore’scontinued success is attributed to itsassociates and its unique companyculture.www.gore.com

The States of Jersey Police hasbeen given an environmental pat onthe back by becoming accredited asan Eco-Active Department as part ofthe state’s island-wide scheme. Thecommitment is part of the state’sover-arching plan to reduce theenvironmental impact caused by itsday-to-day operations and activities.Work has already begun on makingthe force more environmentallyfriendly, including putting together anaction plan of how to make the forcegreener – mainly through behaviourchange and education.www.jersey.police.uk

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue(SYFR) has provided specialist safetytraining to incident response stafffrom Eggborough Power Station. Eightemployees of the North Yorkshire-based plant attended SYFR’s Trainingand Development Centre (TDC) inHandsworth, Sheffield, for training onbreathing apparatus (BA). SYFR has,in the last few years, developedsafety-related training courses forexternal companies andorganisations, as part of a widerstrategy to raise extra revenue in theface of Government budgetreductions. Due to the success of theEggborough course, further training isplanned with the power station laterthis year.www.syfire.gov.uk

Police Scotlandnow fullyoperationalA new chapter in the history ofpolicing in Scotland has opened withthe advent of the single service on 1 April 2013.

Chief Constable Steve House said,“Police Scotland is up-and-runningand is now wholly responsible for thedelivery of policing to our communi-ties, from local response to tacklingthe highest tiers of criminality. Wewill do this in a way which is very vis-ible, accessible and which truly con-nects with public priorities, demandand tackles threat, risk and harmwhere it arises.

“Scotland has a proud history ofpolicing. Police Scotland will take thatrecord into a new era.”

The budget for policing has beenset by the Scottish Police Authority,with 90 percent of the near £1.1bnbeing allocated to Police Scotland andthe Chief Constable. Mr House said,“The budget for policing allows us tofocus on how we best deliver againstour priorities for keeping peoplesafe. We will work to improve on ourperformance, maintaining record lowcrime levels whilst driving change inthe new service. Our priorities willbe addressing the very local concernsat the same time as national priorities.

“This is an exciting time for policingin Scotland. As the second biggestpolicing organisation in the UnitedKingdom, the service has a uniqueopportunity to become truly world-class.”www.scotland.police.uk

Chief Constable Steve House.

The RNLI has announced five moreRNLI lifeboat stations earmarked toreceive the charity’s latest and mostadvanced class of lifeboat – the Shan-non class.

RNLI Lifeboat Stations Amble inNorthumberland, Douglas on theIsle of Man, Workington in WestCumbria, Fleetwood in Lancashireand Wells in Norfolk have been ear-marked to receive the Shannon, astheir current all-weather lifeboatsare reaching the end of their planned25-year life span. Fleetwood will bein receipt of the Shannon in 2015,Douglas, Wells and Workington in2016 and Amble in 2017.

Each new Shannon class lifeboatcosts £2m and the RNLI is currentlyworking to identify whether thefunding for the new lifeboats, theirlaunch and recovery vehicles andassociated shoreworks (if needed)can be raised from legacy gifts orwhether fundraising activity is needed.The RNLI will make a local announce-

ment once the funding strategy hasbeen identified.

The Shannon is the first modernRNLI all-weather lifeboat to operatewith water jets, not propellers. Capa-ble of 25 knots, the Shannon is 50percent faster than the classes it hasbeen designed to replace, whichhave a lower maximum speed of 17knots. The Shannon class will alsoimprove safety for the charity’s vol-unteer crews, thanks to its shockabsorbing seats and on-board com-puter system, which allows the crewsto operate and monitor the lifeboatfrom the safety of their seats.

The majority of the 50+ Shannonclass lifeboats to be stationed through-out the UK and Ireland will be builtat the RNLI’s new All-weatherLifeboat Centre in Poole, which iscurrently under construction. Bringingall-weather lifeboat production in-house, will save the charity £3.7mannually.www.rnli.org.uk

Advanced lifeboat set for fivemore RNLI stations

Prototype Shannon class lifeboat during launch and recovery trials. Photo: RNLI/Nathan Williams

Five Local Resilience Forums (LRFs)have won grants from CommunityResilience UK cic (CRUK) to helptest and demonstrate the vital role,which local voluntary agencies can play in responding to majoremergencies.

CRUK is a not-for-profit communityinterest company, which helps com-munities; their public agencies andindividuals prepare for and handlemajor emergencies. Last December,it announced a competition to findfour areas that would share £20,000to support exercises showing localvoluntary organisations fully integratedinto a major emergency response.

However, after extensive assess-ments CRUK has awarded £5000each to County Durham & Darlington,North Wales, Norfolk, and SouthYorkshire, and a further £1770 toStaffordshire.

David Cloake, Head of EmergencyManagement & Advisory Services at

CRUK, said, “We are delighted withthe quality of our four winners’ pro-posals, and I am particularly pleasedthat we could find the extra funds tosupport Staffordshire.

“Our team of dedicated regionaladvisors will work with these localresilience forums to ensure that thevoluntary sector gets the most fromthis opportunity. We intend to spreadthe learning as widely as possible. Weare very keen for the lessons learnedto be shared with all partners nationallyin the spirit of continuous cooperationand improvement.

“Our support to our partners andbeneficiaries goes from strength tostrength, particularly the unlocking ofbusiness support and property assetsfor use in an emergency. We invite allthose involved in civil protection toengage with us in supporting ourwork, and to take advantage of ourunique service offering.”www.communityresilience.cc

Five areas win grants to boostdisaster volunteers

ESTNEWS | 5

Partnership work betweenCambridgeshire Fire and RescueService (CFRS) and Cambridge AirportFire Service is stronger than everfollowing the recent signing of aMemorandum of Understanding(MoU) by the two services. The MoUconfirms in writing the establishedpartnership, which is centred on anunderstanding of operationalrequirements of how the twoorganisations work together inemergency situations. CFRS hasbenefitted from a long-standingverbal agreement, which reflectsMarshalls’ commitment to work withthe community, as well as providingthe CFRS with valuable trainingfacilities. This is also reciprocatedwhere firefighters at the airport utiliseCFRS facilities.www.cambsfire.gov.uk

CEGA Air Ambulance has becomeone of the first international fixedwing providers to be fully accreditedby the Care Quality Commission(CQC), the independent regulator ofall health and social care services inEngland. CEGA, which operates afleet of air ambulances fromBournemouth International Airport,underwent a rigorous inspection of allaspects of its service to gain theaccreditation.www.cega-air-ambulance.com

Entrepreneur David Ross hasbought Cosalt Workwear from theadministrators of Cosalt plc. UnderMr Ross’s ownership CosaltWorkwear, which is registered asBallyclare Limited, will be able tofocus on offering better service levels,improving its lead times and deliveryturnaround, while bringing newproducts to market. The sale meansMr Ross now owns 100 percent of theshares in Cosalt Workwear and thecompany will no longer be part of theCosalt Group. Cosalt Workwearemploys 58 people and hasoperations in Stockport and Barnsleyand two distribution centres in thesouth east.www.ballyclare.biz

Argon Electronics has beencommissioned to supply a wholerange of CBRN training simulators forthe Police National CBRN Centre inWarwickshire. The equipment ordercomprises a variety of CBRN trainingsimulators, including Argon’sPlumeSIM system, EPD-Mk2-SIMdosimeter simulators, and a numberof Argon’s LCD3.2e-SIM simulators.www.argonelectronics.com

Charities team upto provide out ofhours emergencyblood service

The Forget Me Not Children’s Hos-pice has teamed up with Whiteknightsof Huddersfield, a voluntary schemethat provides emergency out of hoursblood transportation, free of charge.

Whiteknights, a Yorkshire-basedBlood Bike charity, has generouslyoffered its services to the local chil-dren’s hospice, and will provide anout of hours service to help deliveremergency blood, medicine andequipment supplies for the hospice365 days a year, 24 hours a day.

Vicki Finlay, Director of Care at theForget Me Not Children’s Hospice,says, “I am really pleased that WhiteKnights have agreed to support uswith their emergency out of hoursservice. The bikes will be able toquickly transport vital equipment andmedicines to our nurses caring forfamilies across Calderdale, Kirkleesand Wakefield.”

Founder of Whiteknights, VicSiswick, says, “We are delighted tobe able to offer our support toForget Me Not Children’s Hospice.Our service will be able to offer thischarity our help whenever it isneeded, and it is great for two York-shire based charities to be able towork together.”

The Forget Me Not Children’sHospice provides care and supportto children with life limiting conditions,and their families, across Calderdale,Kirklees and Wakefield.www.forgetmenotchild.co.ukhttp://whiteknights.org.uk

Northern Ireland Fire and RescueService (NIFRS) is providing anenhanced emergency floodingresponse capability based in the northwest of the country to rescue peopletrapped or likely to become trappedby flood water and to protect themfrom serious harm.

Fifty-two firefighters from CrescentLink Fire Station in Londonderry,have received extensive training inenhanced flood rescue techniques,and additional equipment, to providea 24/7 emergency response to seriousflooding incidents across WesternArea Command and beyond. Theresource became operational on 1 April 2013 and is based from Cres-cent Link Fire Station.

Chris Kerr, Chief Fire Officer, NIFRS,said, “The Western Area CommandEnhanced Flood Response capabilitywill be used not only for incidents inthe north west region but can bedeployed elsewhere in Northern Ire-land supported by and in support ofour Specialist Rescue Team who are

based from Central Fire Station inBelfast and who also have an enhancedflood rescue capability.

“This resource will not only ensurethat we meet our new statutory dutyduring serious flooding incidents, itcan also be utilised during rescuesfrom inland waters in conjunctionwith our own Specialist Rescue Teamand other partner agencies, includingthe PSNI, Foyle Search & Rescue andthe Maritime and Coastguard Agency.NIFRS looks forward to extendingpartnership working arrangementswith voluntary agencies involved insearch and rescue going forward.”

All NIFRS Firefighters have alreadyreceived Level 1 water rescue trainingand fire appliances have been providedwith the necessary equipment –throw lines, inflation kits, life jackets– to allow firefighters to conductwater rescues from the land. This hasbeen enhanced by the introductionof the emergency flooding responsecapability.www.nifrs.org

NIFRS launches enhanced floodresponse capability

Vimpex Limited, a specialist supplierof rescue tools and equipment to fireand rescue services worldwide, hasbeen chosen as a supplier to thenewly developed London SouthendAirport.

Following purchase by the StobartGroup, Southend Airport is goingthrough a period of major expansion.The renewed Airport Fire Servicehas taken delivery of two battery-powered Ogura BC-300 Combi-Tools, which were identified as beingideal for airport fire ground use.

Ogura tools, supplied throughoutEurope by Vimpex, combine light-

weight portability and amazing powerto allow the deployment of hydraulictools in enclosed and confined spaces.Vimpex not only supplies the toolsbut also provides service, repair andmaintenance of Ogura products aswell as safe use training for users.

Ogura hydraulic tools are usedextensively by fire and rescue, policeand the military for a variety of extri-cation, USAR, forced entry and publicorder operations.

The range is one part of Vimpex’sPPE, technical rescue and masts,lighting and power product range.www.rescuetools.co.uk

Vimpex support for expandedSouthend Airport Fire Service

ESTNEWS | 7

Lion Apparel Systems Ltd haschanged its name to LHD Group(United Kingdom) Ltd as part of aglobal corporate rebranding initiativeby its parent company. In 2010LHD Group acquired the internationalbusiness interests of LionIncorporated, including Lion ApparelSystems Ltd and other Lion companiesin Europe and Asia, all of which arebeing rebranded. Since its formation in1998, Lion Apparel has been at theforefront of the development ofspecialist fire and rescue PPE in theUK and Middle East. Recognising thatproud heritage, the globally recognisedLION brand and distinctive logo willcontinue to be used by the group.www.lionprotects.com

Salford Community Fire Station hasbecome the first fire station in thecountry to be used as an officialDriving Standards Agency (DSA) testcentre. The partnership is part ofGreater Manchester Fire and RescueService’s Road Safety Strategy, whichlooks at how to educate and engagewith drivers and pedestrians aboutroad safety, in particular targeting 17 to 25-year-olds across GreaterManchester. Road Safety Minister,Stephen Hammond, said, “Thispartnership is a great example of how the public sector can worktogether to reduce costs and provide abetter service.”www.manchesterfire.gov.uk

A new trauma network, the SouthEast London, Kent and MedwayTrauma Network, established in thesouth east will ensure the fastestaccess ever to specialist treatment,such as neurosurgery, for patients whosuffer life-threatening injuries. A majortrauma centre at King’s CollegeHospital, London, will be the hub ofthe network, supported by 24/7trauma units at the A&E departmentsat Tunbridge Wells Hospital andMedway Maritime Hospital as well asan interim 24/7 unit at William HarveyHospital, Ashford.www.secamb.nhs.uk

Derbyshire, Leicestershire andNottinghamshire police forces haveagreed to form the East MidlandsSerious Collision Investigation Unit toinvestigate vehicle collisions thatresult in serious injury or death. Theformation of the regional unit aims toachieve: standardisation ininvestigation and processes;increased resilience; the mosteffective use of new technology, suchas laser scanning; pooling expertise inthe field of collision investigation andvehicle examination; and consistencyof service.www.nottinghamshire.police.uk

Over four millionsee Facebookstraighteners photoThe power of social media to reachthe public with important safety mes-sages has been highlighted by LondonFire Brigade after it reported that, inunder 24 hours, over four millionpeople – equivalent to around halfthe population of London – had seenan image of a set of burnt hairstraighteners it posted on its Facebookpage. The brigade believes this to bethe largest number of shares on anypublic sector social media site.

The shocking photo was posted onLFB’s Facebook page to warn othersabout the dangers of accidentallyleaving hair straighteners switchedon, or placed on flammable surfaces.

The hair straighteners were leftlying on a wooden laminated floor,leading to a serious fire in a house inSouthgate from which an unconsciouswoman was rescued by firefighters.It was the second time in a week thathot hair straighteners have beenlinked to the cause of a fire withpotentially fatal consequences.

Emma Cullen, the Brigade’s NewsManager, said, “There are now millionsof people who will hopefully checkthat their hair straighteners areswitched off before going out orgoing to bed. Our Facebook fanshave done their bit to prevent similarfires from happening again in thefuture. This is a real social media suc-cess story.”www.london-fire.gov.uk

FIA announcesFIRESA mergerThe Fire Industry Association (FIA)has merged with the Fire and RescueEquipment Suppliers Association(FIRESA). The merger came intobeing on 2 April 2013.

FIRESA has grown in its standingand influence year-on-year since itsformal inception in April 2005; how-ever, it has been seeking new ways todevelop itself to benefit its fire fightingsector members. Recent discussions,followed by a formal vote by theFIRESA membership have resulted inthe decision to integrate FIRESA intothe FIA fold.www.fia.uk.com

A regional campaign to help makeDevon and Cornwall’s roads saferhas been hailed as the country’s toppublic sector campaign by the Char-tered Institute of Public RelationsLocal Public Services Group. TheHonest Truth joins up several publicbodies with driving schools, providingdriving instructors across Devon andCornwall with free teaching resourcesto help teach youngsters safer drivinghabits. Hertfordshire Fire and RescueService has also taken on the project.

At the national CIPR Local PublicServices Conference the project was

named Campaign of the Year followingits effectiveness in encouraging youngdrivers to develop better habits suchas always wearing their seatbelts, notusing mobile phones in the car, andlowering their speed. The projectalso won an award for its teachingResource Booklet, which was namedBest Publication, Leaflet or Flyer,while the partnership approach wasrecognised with Highly Commendedstatus in the Partnership Excellencecategory.www.eastdevon.gov.ukwww.thehonesttruth.co.uk

Safer driving campaign wins bigat national awards

Back: (from L to R) Sarah Pinch, Chair of the CIPR West of England Group; Sgt Olly Tayler, Chair of The HonestTruth Partnership; Chantel Hobley, Teignbridge District Council; Rob Carlson and Phil Martin, Devon andSomerset Fire and Rescue Service; and Jane Wilson, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.Front: (from L to R) Jenny Connor, Peppers School of Motoring; Tim Borrett, East Devon District Council; and

Becca Gordon, South Devon and Dartmoor Community Safety Partnership. Photo: CIPR LPS.

Volunteers from Avon Fire and RescueService’s (AF&RS) Thornbury FireStation have signed up to be ambu-lance agents. The scheme follows asuccessful pilot project at PortisheadFire Station, which started in Sep-tember 2011.

Around half a dozen retained dutysystem (RDS) firefighters from Thorn-bury have been trained and havetaken delivery of a vehicle suppliedby the ambulance service. It meansthat when they are not on call forAF&RS, or when there is sparecapacity, they can now attend specific incidents on behalf of the

ambulance service andprovide first aid in med-ical emergencies.

Since its launch in2011, the Portisheadproject has attendedlife-threatening incidentssuch as patients sufferingchest pains, asthmaattacks and breathingdifficulties. While the

priority is to ensure that the resilienceof AF&RS is not affected, the jointworking between the fire and ambu-lance services can only be of benefitto patients in the community.

Crew Manager John Riddiford wasinvolved in the first call out for theThornbury Ambulance Agent car.He said, “This is a really good idea, for the benefit of the community.We have all had first aid training, andnow we will have more opportunityto put that training into practice,which can only be good for the community.”www.avonfire.gov.uk

Ambulance agents are go!

ESTNEWS | 9

Police Service of Northern Ireland(PSNI) Officers from North DownNeighbourhood Policing Team havetaken temporary possession of theservice’s first electric car. TheVauxhall Ampera is part of a PSNIpilot scheme looking at the pros andcons of using electric vehicles.Similar vehicles have been requestedfrom other manufacturers andfollowing their assessment PSNI willconsider whether to add the electricvehicle to the fleet. The car has beengiven the full PSNI livery and beenloaned to C District by Vauxhall forapproximately six weeks. Officershave been using the vehicle as partof their normal policing dutiesthroughout the North Down area.www.psni.police.uk

shentongroup’s Service andMaintenance Division has won acontract to maintain and service thegenerators at seven fire stations inHumberside. The company hascreated a bespoke contract forHumberside Fire and Rescue Serviceto include two services a year withload bank testing included in themajor service. www.shentongroup.co.uk/scorpion

Collaboration between WestYorkshire Fire and Rescue Serviceand West Yorkshire Police will seeCastleford Neighbourhood PolicingTeams (NPT) sharing office spacewith fire crews at the newlyrefurbished Castleford Fire Station.The collaboration is the second inWest Yorkshire and will build uponthe success at Pontefract FireStation, where the two emergencyservices have been deliveringcritically important public safetyservices since April last year.www.westyorksfire.gov.uk

A new, purpose-built ambulancestation has opened in Kilmarnock.The facility cost £1.4m and is acomplete new build station thatprovides 50 percent more space thanthe previous station, creatingsignificantly improved, modernoperational facilities for the 59Scottish Ambulance Service staff thatare based there. Five emergencyambulances and six patient transportvehicles are based at the newstation.www.scottishambulance.com

Leeds Bradford Airport has becomethe first UK airport to join the Inter-national Fire Training Centre’s (IFTC’s)new revalidation of competencescheme for airport fire and rescueprofessionals.

The revalidation process ensuresall airport fire crews have the rightknowledge and skills to protect pas-sengers and staff. IFTC, with helpfrom a number of UK airports, hasinnovated the current method ofrevalidating competence to allowairports to do it in a more flexible,low cost way. The new, modularrevalidation of competence pro-gramme is mandated by the UK CivilAviation Authority and is attractinggreat interest from UK airports.

Leeds Bradford Airport has beenthe first mover and joined the schemein March; just a month or so after itwas launched at the AFOA conferencein Dublin in January.

Fire Service Manager, Paul Dale,said, “Leeds Bradford takes trainingseriously. It’s not about the costs. It’sabout regular, authentic, varied trainingto test our crews to make surethey’re among the very best in the

country. IFTC is the best aviation firetraining centre in Europe. We comehere because this is where we arechallenged, trained and developed tomeet the very high standards LeedsBradford demands. We are constantlylooking for new and better ways ofdoing things across our operation.This new scheme will improve theskills and deliver savings so it was aneasy decision to be an early adopter.”

The programme was the brainchildof IFTC’s Director of Training, Dennis

Perkins. He said, “Leeds Bradfordoperates to exacting standards. Avi-ation fire training is our core businessso all our efforts go into finding new,improved ways to meet these stan-dards. Our new revalidation of com-petence scheme is an example wherewe’ve worked with industry and theCAA to bring something new andvaluable to the market we’re here toserve: the aviation fire and rescuecommunity.”www.iftcentre.com

Airport signs up for IFTC’s innovation in training

National Rope Rescue Training Centre opens in EdinburghA new National Rope Rescue TrainingCentre for firefighters from acrossScotland was formally opened on 12 March. The £500,000, purpose-built facility is situated at Newcraighallfire station on the outskirts of Edin-burgh.

The building, which can be seenfrom the slip road to the a1 bypass,will be used to deliver rope rescueand urban search and rescue (USAR)courses. Although originally fundedas a local training centre it will nowbecome a national asset and thecentre of excellence for rope rescuetraining as part of the new, single

Scottish Fire and RescueService.

The facility, and sur-rounding outdoor areas,can be used for USAR,rope rescue and road traf-fic collision (RTC) trainingto prepare firefighters torespond to a wide rangeof rescue scenarios.

The training area wasdeveloped next to theexisting fire station atNewcraighall, which isalready a base for specialistrope rescue teams whorespond to emergenciesrequiring their particularskills. Instructors at thenew centre will be able tosimulate the type of con-ditions firefighters couldface in the event of a seri-ous incident.www.firescotland.gov.ukPhoto: Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Photo: Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

10 | ESTNEWS

Kent Fire and Rescue Service’s (KFRS) long-standing expertise in maritime rescue is helpingshape the future of European sea safety and thecombatting of major incidents. The MaritimeIncident Response Group (MIRG-EU) partnershipis led by the Dutch Fire Service and also involvesthe Belgian and French services, with KFRSleading for the UK.

The group is establishing an international groupof firefighters with knowledge, skills andprocedures to effectively respond to incidents onpassenger ships and cargo vessels. Each partner willfirst make a general risk analysis followed by adetailed risk profile of marine incidents for theirown region; for example, types of ships expectedand consequent risks for MIRG crews boardingthat vessel. They will then recruit their own teams

and procure operational equipment, in line withagreed person and equipment specifications.

Optimum collaborationA marine operations manual has recently been

developed and agreed between partners. Itdescribes how marine operations should be carriedout and how teams should communicate with on-shore staff. Using this manual, each participatingregion will be able to carry out its actions accordingto the same procedures, allowing optimumcollaboration.

Next, existing knowledge will be combined andcondensed into uniform training and exerciseprogrammes. All MIRGs will be trained to aconsistent standard with this uniform programme.

The project will be concluded in 2014 with a

Relatives of emergency service workers are beingurged to come forward to take part in the first UK-wide study investigating the support that those inemergency services receive from their families. Theresearch, being led by Nottingham TrentUniversity’s Emergency Services Research Unit,also aims to learn more about the effect thatemergency work can have on the loved ones ofpersonnel in order to offer some guidance for policymakers and managers.

Anonymous online surveyThe researchers are starting with the relatives of

firefighters as they are the most under-researched.Relatives of firefighters are being asked to completean anonymous online survey. The survey is aimedat families of full-time, part-time and retainedfirefighters, community and auxiliary firefighters,flexi-duty officers and operational managers of afire and rescue service.

Previous studies have indicated that a key featureof emergency workers’ wellbeing is the significantsupport they receive from their families. Theresearchers want to learn more about the secretsbehind this positive influence so that they canconsider how to encourage it to increase resilienceof relatives across the emergency services.Encouraging this resilience will also increasewellbeing within the emergency service workersthemselves.

“Families often act as an informal occupationalhealth unit,” said Rowena Hill, lead researcher anda psychologist at Nottingham Trent University.“Our previous research has demonstrated thatworkers within critical occupations do not alwaysrecognise that their families offer this sophisticatedlevel of support, yet relatives can quickly identify

what type of day their emergency service workerhas had. They can even tell where any challengeshave come from, such as whether it was a complexincident, a large-scale incident or an incident thatwas long and protracted.

“Not only can they understand why theiremergency service worker feels drained or low, butthey know what coping strategy they need toengage in order to help. This kind of positivesupport is crucial as it enables personnel to staymore emotionally healthy.

“We are extremely keen to hear from as manyrelatives of firefighters as possible, so that we canidentify how families support their firefighters inthis way, and to look at how this information mightbe used to help those in other occupations,including paramedics and police officers. Theresources that families offer emergency serviceworkers is currently unrecognised by psychology,but also by the emergency services themselves.”

Data for the study is also being collected from theUnited States and Canada.

It is anticipated that initial research findings willbe presented at the Fire Related Research Event(Fire Service College) in November 2013 in orderto feedback to the emergency service community.

Data collectionThe researchers would like to invite you as

managers to help them collect as much data aspossible by considering posting the link to the webpage on your organisation’s intranet or staff page.The more data they collect the more accurate andsophisticated their analysis. This will mean moretrusted recommendations back to you asemergency managers.www.fireservicefamilies.com

Kent FRS at the helm of newEuropean maritime rescue group

Relatives sought fornational support study

large-scale international exercise, bringing all theplanning, knowledge and skills together.

Highly skilled teamsKFRS Director of Operational Policy &

Resilience, Steve Demetriou is CFOA’s lead officeron marine response and has coordinated theservice’s involvement in the MIRG-EUpartnership. He said, “The fire service has a longhistory of providing professional and highly-skilledresponse teams to maritime disasters. As recentlyevidenced by the Costa Concordia incident, it’sclear that there is still a risk of maritime disastersoccurring in European waters, and that it seemseminently sensible that services across Europecollaborate so we can support each other duringmajor incidents.

“There are also many other benefits to thisrelationship with our European colleagues –particularly in identifying new approaches toemergency response. An example of this is theCobra cold-cutting system, which is now fullyoperational in Kent after we were originally shownthe Belgian marine version.

European funding“We hope all partners in this project learn from

each others experiences and it will be the startingpoint for further collaboration in the future.”

In 2012 the UK Government withdrew itsfunding for existing maritime responsearrangements. The new MIRG-EU project ismatch funded through INTERREG, a Europeanfunding programme that promotes multi-nationalcollaboration.www.mirg.eu

ESTRESILIENCE | 11

The New Dimension programme, originally set upin 2003 in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks,continues to ensure that the UK fire and rescueservice has the capability to respond to any majoremergency that requires a nationally coordinatedresponse.

“Key focus areassurround the refresh andmanagement of assets,

provision anddevelopment of training,inter-agency partnershipworking, and enhancingthe strategic national

response to large-scaleevents.”

As the chair of the National Resilience Board, I am at the forefront of implementing nationalstrategies to enable FRSs to meet these challenges.It is imperative that our support to fire and rescueservices considers local and national requirements.Key focus areas surround the refresh andmanagement of assets, provision and developmentof training, inter-agency partnership working, andenhancing the strategic national response to large-scale events.

The close working relationship between theDepartment for Communities and Local

Government (DCLG), which provides funding forNational Resilience (NR) work, CFOA NationalResilience (CNR), which leads and coordinateswork to deliver and provide assurance for NR onDCLG’s behalf, and Babcock, which maintains theNew Dimension fleet, has never been moreimportant to ensure effective provisions are made.

Latest initiativesInitiatives currently being developed to support

FRS core business include:

• Asset marking and scanner technologies willenable more efficient management of all the NRequipment held by FRSs across the country

• Introduction of additional capability equipmentwill enhance coordinated local and nationalstrategic and operational demands

• Multi-skilled instructors and succession planningwithin NR training provisions will maintainnecessary specialist skills

• E-Learning systems across all NR capabilitieswill make training more accessible and effectivefor frontline staff

• The CNR Assurance Tool enables widerinformation submission, analysis and reportingthat helps to identify trends and flag up issues tobe addressed

• Enhanced support systems that complement theNational Coordination and Advisory Framework

• Closer inter-agency partnerships working withinthe JESIP programme and national planningassumptions.

All of these areas will help to ensure theenhancement of nationally provided skills, trainingand assets as part of local response requirementsare efficient and effective while further supportedby agreed inter-agency working protocols.

One of the future challenges we will face as wemove through the Long Term CapabilityManagement will be the early identification ofequipment and training for new challenges withwhich we are faced. The reporting mechanisms,which are now in place, will ensure such data ishighlighted and can be dealt with early to alloweconomic efficiencies to be considered.www.cfoa.org.uk

CFOA Resilience Programmeaddresses national challengesThe fire and rescue services throughout the UK are experiencing challenges, the scale of which has not been seen in the

last 80 years. The need for financial efficiencies while increasing service provision, against a backdrop of evolving risks

from extreme weather events and worldwide political changes, have led to some of the toughest demands the UK fire

and rescue service has ever seen.

Words: Jon Hall, Chair of the National Resilience Board.

Brandon Lewis MP (front, left) with CFO Jon Hall. Photo: www.pixelprphotography.co.uk

25-26 SeptemberThe Emergency Services Show 2013The NEC, Birminghamwww.emergencyuk.com

(See page 13 for more details)

20-23 NovemberMedica 2013 Dusseldorf, Germanywww.medica-tradefair.com

9-10 October CATO Conference | Bonn, Germany www.cato-project.eu

12 | ESTEVENTS DIARY 2013

Dates for your diary

4-5 JuneBlue & Amber Light Fleet ExhibitionTelford International Centre

www.napfmevent.org.uk

20 JuneThe NASHiCS Learning and Development Forum | Concorde Centre,Manchester Airport

www.nashics.org

16-17 MayLife Connections | Kettering ConferenceCentre, Northamptonshire

www.lifeconnections.uk.com

23-29 SeptemberNational Air Ambulance Week

14-16 MaySafety and Health Expo | The NEC,Birminghamwww.safety-health-expo.co.uk

J U N E

S E P T E M B E R

O C T O B E R

N O V E M B E R

26 NovemberLone Worker Safety 2013 | LondonOlympiawww.loneworkersafetyexpo.com

ESTESS2013 | 13

Building on the success of its continuingprofessional development (CPD) demonstrationarea at last year’s Emergency Services Show, theCollege of Paramedics is planning a series of newworkshops, which will be running in the morningand afternoon on both days of the show. The CPDsessions will be a mixture of lectures and hands-onworkshops and will last about 30 minutes each.More details of the full range of topics covered willbe publicised in advance of the show.

College of Paramedics CPD sessionsAll the College of Paramedics CPD sessions at

The Emergency Services Show 2013 will be free ofcharge and attendees will receive CPD certificatesfor inclusion in their portfolios. Although designedto help paramedics keep abreast of the latestdevelopments affecting professional practice, otheremergency, health and care professions will alsofind the sessions beneficial and will also receiveCPD certificates.

The College of Paramedics is the professionalbody for paramedics registered with the Health andCare Professions Council in the UK. It supportsparamedic practice by providing access to CPDopportunities that aim to update skills andknowledge within a modern and changing healthcare service.

New exhibitorsNew names on the exhibitor list this year include

Blizzard Protection Systems. The company will beshowcasing its new Blizzard Baby Wrap. Developedin conjunction with London Ambulance Service,the Blizzard Baby Wrap is designed for maternitypacks and is ideal for keeping new born babieswarm. Made from Reflexcell™, the Baby Wrapprovides unrivalled thermal qualities (equivalent toan 8 tog duvet). It is light weight, just 55g, smalland compact, being no larger than a mobile phonewhen packed.

“The Emergency ServicesShow 2013 provides

visitors with valuableopportunities to learn

and progress their careerdevelopment.”

Visitors to the Tactical Ventilation Solutions standcan find out more about the development of a newrange of remotely controlled machines (patentpending GB 1304483.9) for cutting tacticalventilation exhaust/outlet vents in steel composite,sandwich panel and other roofing materials.Another newcomer to the show, thecompany is also the sole UKdistributor for the Univent specialistventilation range of chainsaws andcircular saws.

Mercedes Benz makes awelcome return to the show thisyear and will be exhibiting theUnimog vehicle. The Unimog hasthe ability to carry firefightersand rescue workers, plus theirequipment and machines, closerto the heart of the fire or disasterthan any other vehicle. It cancarry cranes and tow trailersfor safe and stress-free animaland vehicle rescue, and its

internal pressure system protects the electrics andpower supply when working in deep water.

Register for free entry nowThe Emergency Services Show 2013 provides a

unique opportunity to see, touch and discuss thelatest technology, ideas and initiatives focused onimproving public safety and assisting all of theemergency services. All emergency and blue lightworkers are invited to visit. Entry for either or bothshow days is free of charge for all visitors, as isparking. Register now at www.emergencyuk.com/est

Book a standFor suppliers to the industry the show offers

access to 5200 buyers from a wide range of sectorsincluding police, fire and rescue, public and privateambulances, emergency planning, maritime andcoastguard agencies, search and rescue teams,government agencies, health authorities and manyothers. There are also opportunities for emergencyresponse organisations to showcase their initiativesto peers and colleagues in the show’s free-to-exhibitEmergency Response Zone.

If you would like to book a stand or profile yourorganisation in the Emergency Response Zoneplease contact David Brown Tel: 01737 824010davidbrown@brodenmedia.com.

Getting thereThe NEC is physically linked to Birmingham

International Station and Birmingham Airport.Visitors arriving by car find the venue directlyaccessible from the UK motorway network and canenjoy free parking thanks to dedicated parkingsponsored by Emergency Services Times.

Further information on The Emergency ServicesShow 2013 (#ESS2013) will be published on theshow’s dedicated website or follow@emergencyukshow on Twitter.www.emergencyuk.com/est

Educational and interactiveexperience in store for visitors toThe Emergency Services Show 2013Plans for this year’s Emergency Services Show, which takes place from 25-26 September 2013 at the NEC, are well

under way and exhibitors are pulling out all the stops to give visitors an educational and interactive experience of the

very latest equipment, vehicles and technology. With workshops, and live rescue demonstrations, The Emergency

Services Show 2013 provides visitors with valuable opportunities to learn and progress their career development. Add

the dates to your diary and register now for free entry at www.emergencyuk.com/est

The College of Paramedics is planning a series of new workshops, whichwill be running in the morning and afternoon on both days of the show.

Blizzard ProtectionSystems will beshowcasing its newBlizzard Baby Wrap.

Tactical Ventilation Solutions is the sole UK distributor for the Univentspecialist ventilation range of chainsaws and circular saws.

Mercedes Benz makes a welcome return to the show this year and willbe exhibiting the Unimog vehicle.

ESTCOMMS & IT | 15

The Emergency Services Mobile CommunicationsProgramme (ESMCP) is a cross-government, multi-agency programme led by the Home Office. It aimsto deliver secure and interoperable critical mobilecommunications to all three emergency servicesthroughout Great Britain. The proposed services, tobe provided by ESMCP, will provide the emergencyservices with voice and broadband data capacity toreplace those delivered under current contract(s),including but not necessarily limited to the contractscurrently provided by Airwave Solutions Limited(ASL).

The Emergency Services Mobile CommunicationsProgramme has representation from the emergencyservices at both operational and departmental level,the Cabinet Office, Welsh and Scottish Governmentsas described below.

These key stakeholders, especially the emergencyservices, are closely involved in definingrequirements that will provide the foundation forfuture service provision. It is vital that there is nodegradation of operational capability during thetransfer from one service provider to the next.Therefore, ESMCP will endeavour to ensure asmooth operating and commercial transitionbetween current and future capabilities.

The programme has been organised into fourworkstreams:

1. Requirement CaptureFollowing on from the successful completion and

sign off of the HLURs (High Level UserRequirements) this important work will requiresupport and input from the emergency services forassurance, development and sign off. The HLURsare being used to inform development of the HLBR(High Level Business Requirements). There is additional engagement with governmentrepresentatives in Wales and Scotland and theprogramme will also consult with the manyadditional users of Airwave services.

2. Commercial StrategyThe main focus will be to explore the range of

future commercial arrangement and procurementapproaches for acquiring the next generation of

communication services as well as developing anunderstanding for what is needed to managetransition.

3. Solution DevelopmentThe work of the Solutions Development

workstream is split into two areas: one analysing thetechnical, architectural and spectrum options for theprogramme and leading the standardisation efforts;the other analysing technical transition options,security and network migration strategy. Theworkstream will also be investigating the potentialfor technical and operational demonstrationcapabilities and testing approach.

4. Transition The Transition workstream is responsible for

identifying options for transitioning the emergencyservices to the new solution. To do this, considerationwill need to be given to current contract expiry dates,user population and geography, emergency servicesboundaries and other planned business changes, egplanned fleet upgrade, new IT system roll out anddependent programmes. The Transition team willwork closely with the emergency services to ensurethat any proposed transition delivers their needs, anddiminishes the impact on operational capability, anddelivers value for money.

ESMCP is also working with the Joint EmergencyServices Interoperability Programme (JESIP) todevelop a shared understanding of whatinteroperability means in terms of mobilecommunications and to ensure that future solutionsenable improved interoperability.

A forward lookOver the next six months, ESMCP will prioritise

effort on the following activities: refining userrequirements: internally with users and externallywith the market; testing candidate solutions,including 4G/LTE’s ability to meet core emergencyservice requirements; and working with internationaltelecoms operating standards bodies to improvefuture market availability of Commercial Off TheShelf (COTS) solutions.www.homeoffice.gov.uk

What is ESMCP?

The Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP) is a cross-government, multi-agency programme led by the Home Office.

Improvedcollaborationthroughshared ITworkspacesThe Information Management Department (IMD)at East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS) isresponsible for providing information technologyservices to the organisation, namely: networkservices, development services, customer services,IT training, business services and documentservices. The challenge for the IMD is to ensureeffective and unified communications throughoutthe whole organisation.

The information management strategy approvedby the Corporate Management Team called for thecreation of a new intranet. East Sussex Fire andRescue Service asked Novell to create a newintranet to integrate with a range of web-basedcollaboration applications.

“We saw an opportunity to exploit collaborationtechnologies such as blogs, wikis and onlineworkspaces to help our colleagues coordinate theirefforts and work together more effectively,” saidJohn Reynolds, Network Services Manager (IMD)at ESFRS. “The ability to collaborate on projects isparticularly important to our development servicesteam, which has an enormous developmentworkload to manage.”

Sharing informationSelection Services, a Novell Platinum Partner,

recommended using Novell Vibe as a platform forsharing information. The IMD has initiallyimplemented the software in a pilot environmentaccessible to selected groups and teams, to helpevolve best practice prior to a formal launch.

Vibe will enable staff at ESFRS to create sharedworkspaces that can be easily accessed through theintranet. As a result, staff will be able to collaboratemore easily, even if they are working on differentshifts or at different locations.

Other potential uses for Vibe at ESFRS includethe creation of knowledge bases for a wide range offire and rescue related subjects. The NovellConferencing capabilities will be used to assist withtraining and troubleshooting.

ESFRS has also deployed Novell ZENworks,which helps keep its 430 PC workstations secureand manages access to applications. The service iskeen to offer its expertise to its peers within theUK; and share the benefits that the wider adoptionof Vibe could bring to the whole community. “Webelieve that technology like Vibe and ZENworkswill enable people to work more flexibly andeffectively,” said Reynolds. “Ultimately it’s all aboutgetting better value for public money. By improvingcollaboration, we can increase efficiency whilereducing costs.”www.novell.com

16 | ESTCOMMS & IT

Studies have shown that incidents resulting insevere injury or death to firefighters have steadilyincreased over recent years. Insufficient or poorquality Site Specific Risk Information provided tooperational personnel has been identified as acontributory factor. On reviewing the circumstancessurrounding some of these occurrences, it wasdiscovered that additional information could havebeen provided to the operational personnel;however, local systems and procedures had failed orwere insufficient in ensuring the relevantinformation was provided. Consequently, severalFRSs have been issued with improvement noticesto address shortfalls of this nature and ensurerobust measures are in place to ensure theprovision of risk critical information to firefighters.

“The SSRI process accordswith incident command

guidance regardingaccurate, relevant andtimely information.”

Proactive approachAs part of its proactive approach to risk

management, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service(MFRS) formed an Operational IntelligenceDepartment tasked with developing the SiteSpecific Risk Information (SSRI) system with aview to improving and developing its currentprocedures in regards to 7.2d risk information. Theinitial project team had direct links to the service’sOperational Planning and Health and Safetydepartments in order to address potential shortfallsregarding the collation and provision of operationalrisk information.

A risk-based approach was adopted whenanalysing site risk information/operationalintelligence in order to address issues surroundinguniformity and consistency of the informationcollation process. The remit of this project team included:

• Reviewing existing 7.2d procedures

• Identification of other risk critical informationsources via engagement with internal andexternal stakeholders (such as the HSE;COMAH site operators and the Chamber ofCommerce)

• Analysing potential impacts of national workstreams (at the time of the SSRI project, RegionalControl was still proposed for delivery)

• Establishing and maintaining links with otherservice departments to ensure quality anduniformity of the information gathering processin addition to ensuring information was currentand available to operational crews

• Establishing a new procedure for 7.2d toencapsulate requirements of the FRS Act sections7, 8 and 9

• Develop processes and infrastructure to supportthe SSRI procedure

• Coordination with the Service TrainingDepartment to ensure the provision of suitabletraining.

The resulting analysis identified several issues,which, following liaison and collaboration withother FRSs, appeared to be common themes acrossthe service as a whole:

• Risk information was gathered for a variety ofreasons (7.2d, legislative fire safety, communityfire safety) but was held in ‘silos’ and noteffectively disseminated to otherdepartments/personnel. This resulted in riskinformation for premises being held in variousformats with differing (and sometimesconflicting) levels of detail

• Since the existing 7.2d process was not supportedby any associated training, the content of 7.2dplans created by operational personnel was notstandardised and varied with regards to thequality and content

• The existing 7.2d procedure did not account fornational guidance that had been produced withregards to the gathering of site specific riskinformation

• The methodology surrounding which sites wereinspected for 7.2d purposes (and their subsequentcategorisation) was subjective and not founded onrobust risk based methodologies

• Knowledge and expertise relating to fire safetyand fire engineering controls was limited withinoperational personnel.

Following sustained periods of development andconsultation with representative bodies and a forumof selected operational Watch Managers; the first of aseries of phases that addressed the areas highlightedwas delivered. A crucial improvement on pastprocedures was not only the provision of bespoketraining; but the development of associated referencematerials to assist operational and support personnelsuch as a dedicated SSRI handbook. There are alsoplans to develop associated e-learning packages inareas such as building construction; fire safety and

the incident command decision-making model.Subjectivity is now removed from the process due

to the use of a ranking methodology across key areasof risk (firefighter, societal, commercial, heritage,environmental and economic). Data gathering isalso more efficient and has reduced duplication ofeffort due to the introduction of a site survey form,which is utilised by operational crews and legislativefire safety inspectors. Previously unused resourcessuch as CAD plans now provide better visual aids tooperational personnel, along with a facility for plansto be displayed on appliance MDTs.

A recent development within Merseyside Fire andRescue Service (MFRS) has placed a fire safetylegislative officer within the operationalplanning/intelligence department; to support andadvise on commercial premises, and to review theprocedures involved within the SSRI process; toutilise the in-depth fire safety factors withinpremises to assist and support crew/communitysafety in the event of an incident, and to avoidduplication of data collection.

The fundamental aim is to provide SSRI tooperational personnel in a format that does notoverload the incident commander with extraneousdetail that could have detrimental effects on theirdecision-making during the dynamic phases of anincident. However, where applicable, it also providesreadily available additional information. The SSRIprocess accords with incident command guidanceregarding accurate, relevant and timely information.Sustained monitoring and review of the procedurewill be undertaken and MFRS will strive tointegrate property gazetteer information and otherexternal sources to inform the risk-basedapproached. This will assist in the continuous driveto maintain and improve firefighter safety andeffectiveness.www.merseyfire.gov.uk

Site Specific Risk Information – right place, right time, right formatThe collation and dissemination of accurate site specific risk critical information is invaluable in the pre-planning process

for fire fighting operations and essential to ensure the safety of operational personnel. Furthermore, it is imperative that

this information is provided across all relevant departments within the service in order to inform other key activities such

as fire safety (legislative and community) and the Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP).

Words: Kevin Longshaw, Station Manager, Training and Development Academy, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.

ESTCOMMS & IT | 19

According to Euros Evans, Airwave’s ChiefTechnology Officer, the need for data by theemergency services differs from day-to-dayoperations to responses to major events. He says,“Typically, fire and ambulance crews are sent tolocations to deal with an incident. Quick access todata is of critical importance to them – the moredata they have at their disposal, the more effectivetheir response is in terms of resources and reaction.”

Fire and rescue crews have the capability to accessdata about the location of possible casualties,trapped individuals and potentially hazardousmaterials, and the layout of the area affected by the incident.

“Paramedics access data to treat casualties at thescene of an accident, or patients at home. Thismeans less stress for the patient and the family andrelieves the pressure on hospitals,” says Euros.“Police on the other hand require different types ofdata – they need to see an overall ‘picture’ ofunfolding events, as well as completely reliable andimmediate group communication.”

Interoperable communicationsIn terms of overall efficiency, all the blue light

agencies need services such as automatic vehiclelocation system (AVLS), interoperablecommunications within and between the emergency

services, and the ability to track the movements oftheir colleagues to ensure the safest and mosteffective response.

Data communications are more efficient, use lesshuman resource, and offer less opportunity for errorthan speech.

“To ensure that public safety services have thecapabilities they need to operate effectively into thefuture, we need more dedicated bandwidth tohandle the growing demand for data,” says Euros.

Evans believes that the future solution willundoubtedly be long-term evolution (LTE) –dependent on spectrum. However, until LTEnetworks are more widely available and thestandards issues have been addressed, there remainsa gap in data bearer capability.

“All this progress isdriven by the need to

reduce cost and improvefunctionality.”

Airwave is working on a number of ways to enabledata to move faster, more efficiently, and morereliably, across the networks that exist today.Looking to the future, individual users’ priority willbe based on the user’s role, the application or servicein use, and the corresponding situation.

Enhanced applications“We are working on capabilities that will deliver

increased uplink bandwidth over existing networkbearers, so we can work with our customers and endusers to determine the value and business benefitsof new and enhanced applications. If we cansuccessfully put that capability into a vehicle, thenwe can create a complete mobile operations centrefor the emergency services, with all the associatedefficiencies that can deliver.”

In the future Evans sees devices collaborating to

deliver more capabilities, with the network bearer orbearers transparent to the end-user. Airwave alsosees a greater exploitation of service-orientedarchitecture, delivering a platform that allows datato be entered once, then shared across a number ofdatabases and applications.

This will build into a central resource and datarepository for the public safety services, enablingfaster, more efficient access to accurate informationand reduced data storage costs.

All this progress is driven by the need to reducecost and improve functionality.

“End-users are fully involved in the developmentwork so the user benefits can be explored from theoutset. By working together, we can begin thebusiness change in advance of the eventual move toLTE to ensure a smooth and cost-effectiveprogression,” concludes Evans.

See Airwave at CCW 2013Airwave is set to participate in a number of panel

discussions and presentations at the CriticalCommunications World (CCW) 2013(incorporating TETRA World Congress) takingplace at the Paris Nord Villepinte, Paris from 21-24 May 2013.

As well as presenting during the event, Airwavehas a stand presence (E312) to showcase some of thebusiness’s more recent achievements. These includethe London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games,Airwave’s 2011/ 2012 sustainability report andbusiness continuity case studies.www.airwavesolutions.co.uk

Operating in a data-centric worldFast and reliable access to data is critical to the way the emergency services operate. As more and more users of the

Airwave Network send data for short messaging and image transfer, there is an increasing desire for higher bandwidth

data-rich applications and business intelligence to drive efficiencies across operational services.

22 | ESTCOMMS & IT

Dual frequency paging service ready for roll out

Advances in technology and increasing demandson the emergency services have led to new, andoften expensive, equipment being introduced. Withservices operating 24 hours a day vast amounts ofequipment are being used, signed in/out of storesat all times of day. Anything from vehicles,firearms, computing equipment and tools, tomedical equipment and supplies, tracking of anysuch equipment and keeping up with stock levelscan seem an extremely arduous task.

Successful tracking of all equipment may seemoverwhelming, especially using manual sign/outregisters and traditional spreadsheets. WaspBarcode Technologies has solutions that will easilytrack all assets and inventory efficiently andaccurately, saving time and money.

Asset management solutions from Wasp BarcodeTechnologies make it simple to track valuableassets. The Wasp MobileAsset solution allows easytracking of assets using unique barcode tags,managing not just where equipment is, and whohas it, but also the depreciation value, servicingschedules and equipment condition. Through theuse of pre-installed, user configurable reports, usersare able to manage, track and report on assetlocations and value at all times.

Wasp Barcode Technologies can also helporganisations to manage stock and track inventory

with its InventoryControl solution. This efficientand intuitive system makes it easy to eliminatestock tracking errors and reduce costly inventoryerrors or missing stock. Wasp’s InventoryControlsolution accurately tracks stock levels, saving costand improving productivity.

The automated processes in Wasp’s MobileAssetand InventoryControl solutions reduce the risk ofhuman error, lost equipment and running out ofcritical stock items, saving time and money for allconcerned.www.waspbarcode.co.uk

Effective use of barcodes to trackvaluable assets

Chris Jones, PageOne’s CEO, believes thecompany’s new dual frequency paging devicescould help the emergency services reduce costs,consolidate devices and extend coverage, whileimproving resilience and the management ofresources.

Dual frequency paging is already being trialledby Durham and Essex fire and rescue services,helping them to do more with less by extendingcoverage and providing additional resilience againstlocal transmitter failures, without massive costimplications.

The idea of having dual frequency is that itenables users to capitalise on both channels withoutthe need to extend coverage, because the alert iseither dispatched on both channels or whichever iswithin range of the device. In practice, the alertgoes out from the command and control centre tothe on-site network and PageOne’s networksimultaneously. The dual pager then scans the twochannels and delivers the message either via theon-site network, if within range, or via the widearea network. If the pager receives two messagesthe duplication function will prevent the secondmessage from alerting the user again.

Not only is further resilience ensured due to theoverlap in coverage, but more significantly theaddition of wide area paging extends the scope ofcommunications even further afield, allowingresponders outside the remit of the on-site channelto be reached.

Retained staff managementA prime example of where this technology could

really benefit the market is in relation to thechallenges brought about from resourcemanagement, particularly with regards to retainedfirefighters. Dual frequency paging could help inthe management of retained staff by extending thescope of communications even further to providevital access to those firefighters located outside ofthe on-site transmitter range. By expanding theremit of messaging with wide area paging,emergency services can achieve substantial savings,eliminating the need to invest huge sums in thebuilding, management and maintenance of theiron-site systems.

Vast cost-savings and efficiencies can also begenerated through the consolidation of devices.With dual frequency technology specifically

developed to leverage the synergies of both localand wide area paging, it is clear that not only cancoverage be widened, but also extra resilience canbe added to critical communications in the mostcost effective manner.

The technology is already being used in WesternEurope and in the US, allowing hospitals tocommunicate more effectively with doctors livingout of range of the local on-site alerting system.

Resilient pagerThe latest innovation is in augmenting the dual-

frequency pager with an SMS fall-back facility thatis used when both primary and secondary pagingroutes become unavailable, creating the ultimateresilient pager.

A dual frequency pager with SMS fall-back worksby locking onto its preferred paging channel. In theunlikely event the pager does not detect either thelocal or wide area paging channels, it reverts toSMS fall-back mode to receive messages, notifyingPageOne’s servers, which will automatically re-direct paging messages out via SMS. www.pageone.co.uk

Asset management solutions from Wasp Barcode Technologies make itsimple to track valuable assets.

Wasp Barcode Technologies can also help organisations to manage stock and track inventory with its InventoryControl solution.

ESTCOMMS & IT | 23

When I have this conversation with police forcesand fire brigades across the UK I often start byconfronting what effective communications is notabout. Because it’s not about new technology butabout using it to genuinely transform the wayindividual forces and services deploy theirresources, focusing on change and outcomes.

A consolidated viewFocusing on outcomes, for example, can mean

that operators no longer have to perform differentfunctions on different systems. Instead, when a callis received from the public, this equates directly toa contact record, the details of which are thenavailable for subsequent action: the boundarybetween communications and data is removedwhere possible. Similarly, a resource assigned to anincident can be contacted directly from the incidentor resource record without having to initiatecommunications separately. This approach enablesa consolidated view of data and actions whereeverything that the operator needs in a givensituation is immediately available and in context.

It can mean bringing together not only corecontrol room functions but also automated actionson other systems. For example, when a contact isrecorded, the system automatically searches othersystems to identify, prioritise and highlight relevantinformation, which eliminates the need foroperators to perform time-consuming searchesmanually. The aim is to allow operators to focus onthe caller and the actions to be taken by letting thesystem perform the laborious, repetitive part;information is presented to operators rather thanthem having to look for it.

Improved operational capabilitiesCapita has been involved in a number of projects

with police forces and fire and rescue services thathave used more effective communications toimprove on areas of the operation for resilience,contingency and interoperability.

In 2011, for example, Capita worked with NorfolkConstabulary to provide a replacement controlroom system to manage the dispatch of resources toincidents. Norfolk’s existing system was no longer

supportable due to its age and a tendering processfor a replacement was initiated against thebackdrop of budget cutbacks and in-depthdiscussions with neighbouring forces about ways ofworking more effectively together.

It became apparent that Norfolk and Suffolk werecollaborating on an increasing number of workstreams, including ICT. Norfolk therefore took thedecision to implement the same IntegratedCommunications Control System (ICCS), allowingit to benefit from similar technology, but alsoproviding significant collaborative benefitsdownstream.

Norfolk’s new system is based at forceheadquarters in Wymondham, with a fall back sitein Dereham. Standby control rooms across theforce have been closed as they are surplus torequirements enabling significant savings shouldthe force wish to re-use or dispose of the property.

“Capita has been involvedin a number of projects

with police forces and fireand rescue services thathave used more effective

communications toimprove on areas of theoperation for resilience,

contingency andinteroperability.”

The Chief Constables of both Norfolk andSuffolk are driving further collaboration. They wantboth forces to have the ability to communicate andutilise joint systems. Force staff must be able tocommunicate across all platforms. They areworking together on other joint systems so theyneed to be able to do the same with ICCS.

Reciprocal supportAlso in Norfolk, but this time working with

Hertfordshire, the two fire and rescue services nowhave the ability to provide reciprocal support fortaking calls and mobilising. This arrangementenables the services not only to provide assistancefor each other’s overflow calls but, should there be amajor problem and one of the ‘buddies’ need toevacuate, each can take over the running of thepartnered service’s control operation. This allowsboth the fire and rescue services to save money byremoving the need to keep a costly standby controlroom and associated equipment, as well as reducingstaffing since the buddy can provide supportduring times of exceptional load.

Now we are working with the East Coast andHertfordshire Consortium, bringing togetherHertfordshire, Humberside, Lincolnshire andNorfolk fire and rescue services on a single systemdistributed across the four control rooms. This willbuild upon the work done between Hertfordshireand Norfolk to enable full collaborative workingbetween the four fire and rescue services, givinggreater flexibility in answering calls during peaksand providing mutual assistance for their partners.The system will enable additional resourcing to beavailable seamlessly during busy periods. Throughshared infrastructure and expertise, not only willcollaboration and improved efficiency be achieved,but also each service will benefit from a new systemfor less than would otherwise be the case, reducingongoing support costs.

In conclusion, it’s not about technology – anytechnology – but working to specific outcomes,working collaboratively, working to transform; andimproving results for police forces, fire and rescueservices and the wider community.www.capita.co.uk

Working collaboratively towardsimproved efficiency for allEffective communications has never been more vital to the emergency services. With huge pressures on budgets and

human resources it may be the single, biggest tool at your disposal. But what do I mean by that?

Words: Matthew Palmer, Product Manager, Control Room Solutions, Capita Secure Information Solutions.

24 | ESTCOMMS & IT

Over the last decade, satellite broadband internethas become an established and integral part ofcommand and communications for the UK’semergency services. Throughout the countryemergency services have installed Ku-band antennasystems onto both new and existing incidentcommand vehicles, delivering data and resiliencecapabilities that were not previously available.

Emergency service use of satellite connectivity hastraditionally centred on internet access, e-mail,basic information sharing and low bandwidthvideo. Other services such as Voice over IPtelephony and Virtual Private Networking have alsobeen used, to provide resilient telephony and toconnect into corporate networks.

With the advent of Ka-band satellite connectivity,the potential for communication has increasedconsiderably beyond its current incarnation. Tasksthat were not viable on Ku-band systems becomeboth possible and effective with Ka-bandconnectivity. Connectivity can be extended topartner organisations or shared with affectedmembers of the public at an incident, and withoutaffecting performance or security.

Shared platformsWith traditional Ku-based systems the bandwidth

available on a command vehicle has ranged from1Mbps/256Kbps to 2Mbps/512 Kbps (downloadspeed/upload speed). While considerably fasterthan 2G mobile data, Ku did not give organisationsa great deal of capacity and did not encourageconnection sharing with partner organisations.

With Ka however, the bandwidth ranges from

10Mbps/4Mbps to 20Mbps/6Mbps. It would beperfectly feasible for a blue light organisation toshare its connectivity on a command vehicle withblue light partners, Local Resilience Forum (LRF)members or other third parties. The hostorganisation could, for example, allocate a third ofits connection to other users, and still have manytimes the bandwidth available than it would with Ku.

At a basic level, this would allow greatercommunications capability for multiple agenciesinvolved at the same incident. More radically, intimes of budget constraints this flexibility couldeven underpin a command vehicle shared betweenblue light partners, or between geographicalneighbours in the same emergency services sector.

Social mediaWhile satellite technology has become integrated

into emergency service response, social media hasdeveloped on a parallel timeline. It has nowbecome an established method for emergencyservice organisations to inform and interact withthe public.

While Ku-based systems have supported a basicuse of social media, the new generation of Kasystems will allow organisations to post content-richmedia from an incident, command point or otherdeployed location. With upload speeds in themegabits per second, large or numerous images canbe posted along with text and video to give thepublic more visual information than previouslypossible.

Additional bandwidth also allows commandvehicles and satellite equipment to have a widerrole, increasing the deployment potential andgiving them enhanced functional ability. This maybe attractive considering the capital investmentinherent in command vehicles. The expenditure isoften considerable, but in a command role, suchvehicles are often used infrequently.

Through the use of appropriate technology, Ka-equipped vehicles could be used, for example, as amedia hub, allowing media staff to be briefed bysenior officers and then to upload their images andreports from the scene without impactingoperations. A different role would be in prolongedpower or network outages, where vehicles could bedeployed as an information point for the public.This could allow the public to go online wirelesslyand perhaps even charge their mobile phone. Katechnology can also allow organisations to monitorsocial media effectively from a deployed location,especially useful in building an intelligence-ledresponse from online information and crowdsourcing.

InteroperabilityProviding robust internet access from the scene

has already allowed organisations to communicatemore effectively across organisational andgeographical boundaries. Increased bandwidthfrom Ka will only enhance collaboration, asinteroperability becomes more attainable withbetter connectivity.

“Information held in thenetwork share at the

command location can beaccessed remotely in real

time, makingcollaborative information

sharing a reality.”

For voice communications, the blue light serviceshave access to the Airwave network, which givesboth local and national interoperability. Howeverthere are numerous voice systems within theemergency services (and especially Category 2responders and voluntary agencies) that do notreadily interoperate. An example would be fireground UHF radios used by the fire and rescueservice, and other UHF or VHF systems used bypartner agencies. Voluntary agencies do notgenerally have access to the Airwave system, so agap exists for blue light / voluntary agencyinteroperability.

Through a combination of satellite internet andIP radio gateways, it becomes possible to linkorganisations across different frequencies and farbeyond their local radio range. For example, in a

Next generation satellite solution takescommunication to a whole new levelGloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service has recently installed Primetech’s latest Ka-band satellite solution as part of its

rapid response offering. The significant bandwidth increase provided by Ka-band allows the police, fire and rescue, and

ambulance services to benefit from a new level of communication, collaboration and interoperability.

Words: Rob Lacey PgD MBCS MEPS, Head of IT and Telecoms Resilience, Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service.

Connectivity can be extended to partner organisations without affectingperformance or security.

Ka-based connectivity could extend control room systems to a forwardcommand point or silver control.

ESTCOMMS & IT | 25

geographically dispersed incident it would bepossible to link UHF handsets being used by thefire and rescue service for river working in onelocation, with handheld radios on a completelydifferent frequency being used by a voluntary land-based search team further downstream.

Once converted to Internet Protocol (IP) by theradio gateway, voice traffic can be passed from onecommand unit to another over satellite, or even to anormal broadband connection or mobile internetlink. This would allow individuals to nominate an‘interop’ channel on their handset and speakregardless of organisation or location. So fireground channel 4 could be patched to land searchchannel 2 in this example.

Data interoperability is also greatly improvedwith Ka connectivity. On some command vehicles anetwork share is used to provide a depository for

files, images and information sharing. However,historically, accessing that information fromheadquarters or elsewhere has been difficult, as Ku-based systems do not have enough bandwidth. It islaborious to access information remotely from thecommand vehicle, because upload speeds of256Kbps to 512 Kbps make large files slow totransfer. With Ka connectivity, the commandvehicle or command location will have a networkconnection with capacity similar to many smalloffices. Information held in the network share atthe command location can be accessed remotely inreal time, making collaborative information sharinga reality.

Information convergenceThe term ‘convergence’ is used to describe new

levels of connectivity, which are now possiblethrough widespread networking and the ‘Internetof Things’. An example would be a landline and amobile phone being virtually connected, so theywill both ring when someone dials your number.Or having a handset that will browse from themobile phone network to WiFi, switching from 3Gto WiFi for voice and data, and in doing so usingthe fastest and/or cheapest connection.

This convergence is possible across IP networksprovided by Ka-based systems. But informationconvergence is also possible, where information canbe gathered, accessed, displayed and utilised in realtime across a number of platforms.

As an example, people are often carrying mobilephones, which are GPS enabled with internetconnectivity and the ability to run applications.These devices can both locate an individual and beused to post detailed information to an onlinelocation. In a wide area operation (search, civildisturbance or wildfire) information gathered bythese devices could be viewed in real time from thecommand location because of the additionalbandwidth now available. The location ofcasualties, debris, staff, volunteers and otheressentials could be gathered and displayed in real time.

Similarly, bespoke devices such as those used fortracking vehicles (AVLS) or marine assets can beaccessed online. These systems will often reporttheir location in real time to online mappingapplications such as Google or Bing Maps, and caneven indicate mechanical problems if so configured.This asset telemetry can provide a detailed input tothe Common Information Picture, and hence assistwith delivering a successful outcome.

Dependent on the technical infrastructure of thecontrol room, Ka-based connectivity could extendcontrol room systems to a forward command pointor silver control. An organisation may wish todisplay information from the control room to aid indecision-making. It may even aim to create anincident control room and deploy assets locallyfrom the incident, aside from normal control roomoperations. The increased capacity of Kaconnectivity could potentially underpin thisrequirement.

ConclusionWith the next generation of Ka-based satellite

internet connectivity, incident command and otherdeployments will be able to move beyond internetaccess and e-mail, and develop real-timeinformation sharing, enhanced interoperability,asset telemetry and wider public engagement.www.primetech.co.uk

Primetech’s latest Ka-band satellite solution.With the advent of Ka-band satellite connectivity, the potential forcommunication has increased considerably beyond its currentincarnation.

The Metropolitan Police Service is using the latestdesktop mapping software to collate essential dataabout road traffic collisions in London. Theadvanced Geographical Information System (GIS)from GGP Systems in being used to identify andmap the exact location of incidents where a personalinjury has occurred and prepare detailed reports forpartner organisations such as the Department forTransport (DfT) and Transport for London (TfL).

Shared informationGGP GIS provides the ability to store complex

mapped information and read from and write tospatial databases, meaning information can beshared between departments and partnerorganisations. This eliminates isolated data silos,reduces data duplicity and improves systeminteroperability, as well as enabling the joining up ofdiverse datasets to provide a richer informationresource.

“Using the GGP GISwe can record the exactlocation of an incidenttogether with other,possibly contributing,circumstances,”commented aspokesperson for theMetropolitan PoliceService. “Thisinformation is then usedby the Department ofTransport and Transportfor London to helpidentify potentialimprovements to roadlayouts in order toprevent furthercollisions.”www.ggpsystems.co.uk

Mapping software helps improve road safety in London

26 | EST

When the goinggets tough

Words: Peter Molyneux, President of Getac UK

Modern policing is tough, fast-paced andextremely demanding. Nowadays officers arecalled to deal with exceptionally challenging andsometimes life-threatening emergencies on aregular basis – so effective, reliable technologythat keeps them one step ahead, is vital.

Tough on-board IT equipment that will copewith the inevitable knocks and shocks offrontline use yet carry on working is an essentialcomponent of any patrol car.

Access to crucial intelligence informationneeds to be instant; using the latestcommunications technology allows officers tomake better, more informed decisions, faster.

Officers on patrol rely on clear, effective communication, both with fellowofficers and their control centre, in order to work efficiently and effectively,while accurate mapping data is required to get them to a scene in the shortestpossible time.

Many law enforcement organisations have turned to rugged laptops andcommunication equipment to meet the special demands that their officers face.Rugged equipment is specifically designed to operate in a wide range ofchallenging environments and weather conditions. It will carry on workingfaultlessly, despite the vibrations from a moving vehicle, or the inevitableknocks it may be exposed to during a working day. Taking a rugged laptop onpatrol provides officers with all the benefits of office-based technology while outon the road, turning the car into a mobile office.

“Using the latest communicationstechnology allows officers to makebetter, more informed decisions,

faster.”Boost performance and productivity

Following a five-month trial, one of the UK’s leading police forces hasordered rugged laptops to enable its officers to boost their performance andproductivity. The laptop the force chose is the Getac V200 – a secure,lightweight and compact device with third generation Intel® Core™ i5 vPro™processor for rapid access to critical data. Integrated 3G, GPS, WiFi andBluetooth provides officers with comprehensive communications connectivityon the move, while its 12.1in sunlight-readable screen can be read in a range oflight conditions, both indoors and out.

Access to a wide range of intelligence information, from number platerecognition files to the Police National Computer database is instant and a full-size mechanical keyboard allows for easy data input. The unit can be used witha secure in-vehicle docking station or taken out of the patrol car into buildingsto help with interviews and collecting statements, which means it is ideal foruse on patrol. The laptop is also NPIA spec 5 certified.

Getac is happy to collaborate closely with individual constabularies todetermine the optimal specification for its support equipment. The companycan even badge units with the relevant constabulary logo.

Police officers on patrol need tough, efficient, dependable IT equipment, andaccess to rapid and reliable, intelligence on the street is an essential element inthe continuing fight against crime. Getac’s new generation of rugged laptopsand notebooks is specifically designed to provide that invaluable support in themost demanding of environments, every time.www.getac.co.ukIf you would like to discuss any aspect of your rugged computing requirements,call 01952 207 221, e-mail: ruggedsolutions@getac.com or visit www.getac.co.uk

Peter Molyneux is the President of GetacUK, which provides a comprehensiverange of rugged computing solutions.

ESTPEOPLE | 27

Andrew Thomas has been announcedas the new Assistant Chief FireOfficer (ACFO) and Director ofOperations for South Wales Fire andRescue Service (SWFRS). He said, “Iam proud to serve the communitiesof South Wales and I am a firmbeliever that our communities arebest served when they are given theright information to help themselvesbut I also know that when people call999 they expect, and deserve, thebest operational response they canget. As such, I will ensure SWFRScontinues to have the bestequipment, procedures and supportavailable to them, to deliver a safeand effective service to thecommunities of South Wales.”www.southwales-fire.gov.uk

Tyne and Wear Fire and RescueService’s second highest fire chiefhas announced he is stepping downthis summer. Deputy Chief FireOfficer John Hindmarch will retire on19 July 2013 after 36 years at theservice. John’s final project will beoverseeing the successor to themobilising system and the relocationof the control room to Tyne and WearFire and Rescue Service’sheadquarters in Washington.www.twfire.gov.uk

Sally Boor, an East of EnglandAmbulance Service paramedic, iscelebrating winning funding worth£5000 to help progress her idea for anew spinal board to make it saferwhen moving patients who havesuffered spinal, neck or head injuries.Sally’s medical technology productwon the first Innovation VoucherScheme launched by HealthEnterprise East (HEE), the NHSInnovation Hub for the EasternRegion. The voucher can be used toprogress the idea in terms offeasibility research, product designand development or filing IP, patentsor design rights.www.eastamb.nhs.uk

Simon Prince has been appointedas the new Chief Constable forDyfed-Powys Police, becoming thefirst Chief Constable to be appointedby a Police and Crime Commissionerin Wales. Simon, formerly theAssistant Chief Constable in Gwent,said, “I bring with me 22 years ofexperience of working in all areas ofpolicing in Gwent, and am ready toface the challenges posed by DyfedPowys Police, which is geographicallythe largest police force in Englandand Wales. I seek to build upon theexcellent work and continue toimprove crime reduction levels anddetection rates. In times of financialchallenge I will be looking where wecan strip out waste, reducebureaucracy and make sure everypenny spent focuses on delivering anexcellent service to the public.”www.dyfed-powys.police.uk

LAS appointsfinance head

Andrew Grimshaw has been appoint-ed as Director of Finance for the Lon-don Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

Andrew joined the NHS as a traineeaccountant in 1989 and has workedin district general hospitals and specialistand teaching trusts throughout hiscareer.

In his new position, Andrew’s prior-ities include supporting the service toget to foundation trust status andsecuring enough investment fromcommissioners to ensure a good ser-vice to patients is maintained.

Andrew replaces Mike Dinan, wholeft the service in January.www.londonambulance.nhs.uk

Northumbriaappoints newDeputy Chief

Northumbria Police has appointedSteve Ashman as its new DeputyChief Constable. Mr Ashman, who iscurrently an Assistant Chief Constablewith the force, replaces former DCCMark Gilmore, who was recentlyappointed as the Chief Constable ofWest Yorkshire Police.

Mr Ashman joined Northumbria in2009 as Assistant Chief Constable.He said, “I am very proud to havebeen appointed to this role. Havingspent the last four years here I knowfirst hand the enviable track recordwe have in Northumbria. I look for-ward to continuing our good workwith the tremendous team of officersand staff we have in Northumbria,our partners, communities and localpeople to help keep the area safe andeffectively policed.”www.northumbria.police.uk

Deputy Chief Constable John Feavyourwill retire in August, after almostseven years serving with Cam-bridgeshire Constabulary.

Mr Feavyour said, “I have been partof Cambridgeshire Constabulary dur-ing a time of massive improvementsin what we do. I am very proud tohave worked with so many outstandingcolleagues who have shown over andover again what it means to be partof the public sector and to spend yourworking life helping others and I willmiss all that after August. In themeantime it will be business as usual.”

Mr Feavyour joined CambridgeshireConstabulary in 2004 as AssistantChief Constable at a time when theforce was under huge pressure as aresult of the tragic murders of HollyWells and Jessica Chapman in Soham.Under his leadership the forceresponded positively to the demandsof the Bichard Inquiry and as a resultcontributed significantly to information

sharing between forces.He became temporary DCC in

June 2005 and was made permanentin the role 18 months later. He led onthe development of the Police NationalComputer (PNC) and for six yearswas the national ACPO lead on com-plaints and misconduct.

The search for a new Deputy ChiefConstable has already begun and MrFeavyour’s successor will be selectedin June.www.cambs.police.uk

Cambridgeshire DCC to retire

The Chief Officer of the Scottish Fireand Rescue Service (SFRS), AlasdairHay, has announced 17 Local SeniorOfficer (LSO) appointments to workacross the 32 local authority areas inScotland.

Chief Officer Hay said, “Whilst weare a national service through theLocal Senior Officers we are com-mitted to providing closer engagementwith local communities, because it isthat engagement and understandingof the specific needs of differentareas and working with partners andthe public in local neighbourhoodsthat will help us to deliver better out-comes and make our communitiessafer and stronger.”

The service’s new Local SeniorOfficers are:• West Service Delivery Area: Assis-

tant Chief Officer Dave Boyle(Glasgow); Area Manager NevilleWright (Dumfries and Galloway);Area Manager Hugh Kerr (temp)(East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire andSouth Ayrshire); Area ManagerPaul Tanzilli (East Renfrewshire,Renfrewshire and Inverclyde); AreaManager Paul Connelly (East Dun-bartonshire, West Dunbartonshire,Argyll and Bute); Area ManagerJohn Miller (North Lanarkshire);and Area Manager Alistair Boyle(South Lanarkshire).

• East Service Delivery Area: Assis-tant Chief Officer Peter Murray(Edinburgh); Area Manager Iain

Vincent (Fife); Area Manager KennyRogers (Stirling and Clackmannan-shire); Area Manager Peter Heath(Mid Lothian, East Lothian andScottish Borders); and Area Man-ager Gary Laing (Falkirk and WestLothian).

• North Service Delivery Area: Assis-tant Chief Officer Robert Scott(Aberdeen); Area Manager DavidStapley (Dundee, Angus and Perthand Kinross); Area Manager BillyWilson (Western Isles, Orkneyand Shetland); Area Manager ScottHay (Highlands); and Area ManagerDavid Rout (Aberdeenshire andMoray).

www.firescotland.gov.ukFurther details on the Scottish Fireand Rescue Service are available onpage 35.

Scottish FRS appoints senior officersto liaise with local communities

Chief Officer Alasdair Hay, Scottish Fire andRescue Service (SFRS).

28 | ESTINTEROPERABILITY

In what was one of the most high profile incidentsin recent years, the crash truly was an exercise ininter-agency working between London’s three mainblue light services: London Fire Brigade (LFB),Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), and LondonAmbulance Service (LAS). Along with air accidentinvestigators, and on-site contractors, the threeagencies worked closely together from the outsetand first responders were initially faced with a scenedescribed by one LFB officer as ‘utter chaos’.Officers described the scene as being like somethingfrom a disaster film, with pieces of the nowdisintegrated helicopter scattered across the tops ofbuildings and around the road, a large fire burningat the crash site, and a number of injured anddisorientated members of the public in a state ofshock and confusion.

Helicopter hit a craneIt soon became apparent that the helicopter had

hit a crane, before hitting a nearby building andcrashing into the street below. Officers from thebrigade set the two sites up as two separateincidents: the first being the unstable crane, thesecond being the crash site, each with its owncommand unit and emergency service personnel.

Blue light staff worked hard together to clear thearea of members of the public, to treat the injuredand get them to hospital, and to close the roads, inorder that the fire could be put out. The buildingsand area near to the unstable crane was evacuatedas a precaution and urban search and rescue crewssearched the area to ensure that no one was trappedin any of the wreckage nearby.

The fire was quickly brought under control andpolice, fire, and air accident investigators were able

to start work to try and establish exactly what hadhappened. The crane site remained closed tomembers of the public while firefighters workedwith on-site contractors to secure it and make it safe.

Quelling media speculationInter Agency Liaison Officers (ILOs) from the

brigade played a key role at the scene from veryearly on in the incident. They worked with policecounterparts and quickly ruled out any links toterrorism – key information when it came toquelling media speculation about what hadhappened.

Multi-agency Silver meetings were scheduled in athourly intervals in order that as much informationas possible could be shared between the differentorganisations working at the scene. Meanwhile,senior spokespeople worked with their respectivepress officers to decide on lines to take with thehundreds of media that were gathered at thecordon. Regular press briefings were provided andthe blue light spokespeople worked together toensure that lines were reassuring, but perhaps mostimportantly, consistent.

Joint agency partnershipThere is already a well established joint agency

partnership among the emergency services inLondon, called the London Emergency ServicesLiaison Panel (LESLP), which was formed in 1973and under which the individual services worktogether at major incidents for the greater good ofthe public. It is hoped that with the recentformation of the Joint Emergency ServicesInteroperability Programme (JESIP), this alreadystrong partnership might be further enhanced, for

the good of both emergency service workers, as wellas members of the public (more information onpage 30).

The London Olympic and Paralympic Gamesprovided an excellent opportunity for the blue lightservices to plan for, and work together at what wasthe biggest event to be held in this country for manyyears. The result of all the detailed multi-agencyplanning was that the Games ran smoothly withoutmajor incident, but it was an excellent exercise inadopting a ‘one team’ approach to safety andsecurity.

“The London Olympic andParalympic Games was an

excellent exercise inadopting a ‘one team’approach to safety and

security.”

With all of the experience gained, both at majorincidents, like the London bombings, and majorevents, like the Olympics, London Fire Brigade hasgained some unique and invaluable experience ofinter-agency working. The brigade has much tobring to the table in terms of improvements in thisjoint agency working, and is looking forward tofuture developments, particularly with the rollingout of JESIP, which, it is anticipated, will befinalised by September 2014.www.london-fire.gov.uk

How London’s blue light serviceswork together now, and in the futureDuring the morning rush hour on 16 January 2013, the eyes of the world turned to the Capital after a helicopter crashed

into a crane in Vauxhall, near to the centre of London, killing two people and injuring 13. Emergency service crews

rushed to the scene and were roundly praised for the speed and efficiency of their response.

Words: Rita Dexter, Deputy Commissioner, London Fire Brigade.

Regular press briefings were provided and the blue light spokespeople worked together to ensure that lines were reassuring, but perhaps mostimportantly, consistent.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson visited the incident scene.

JESIP has organised its work into fourworkstreams. In each edition of EmergencyServices Times we will bring you an overview ofeach workstream and then move to provide moreoverall updates as the programme progresses.

The JESIP workstreams, with the relevant leadofficer, are show in Figure 1 below.

JESIP Operational CommunicationsThis workstream will be focused on

improvements of communications between servicesand their control rooms when attending a major orcomplex incident.

While things have improved in recent years withthe introduction of Airwave, there are still somechallenges, which are related to the use of radios.Often considerable time can pass between someonebeing trained how to use a handset and the need touse one. It is not surprising that where technologyis used only rarely, it is very easy for skills to be lost.Additionally we know that local talk groups, if notmanaged properly, can become overwhelmed byradio traffic during the progression of a majorincident. There is little time for re-training whenthe critical time comes!

There is also scope to improve communication toand between the control rooms of services. Thechallenge includes when control rooms of differentservices have to interoperate and share information.There is some interesting pilot work exploring howdata sharing can take place by the click of a fingerrather than three or more telephone calls to otherservices and agencies.

What will JESIP do? Airwave useTo address the challenges around radio use,

JESIP intends to develop a common strategy forAirwave use at major incidents that the blue lightservices can adopt. In addition, we intend todevelop some Airwave training modules andcontent that services will be able to incorporate intotheir regular training. This will be in addition tothe On Scene Commander and TacticalCommander training Modules being created by theJESIP Training & Exercising Working Group.

We are also exploring how we may be able toestablish a standard ‘test’ that could be undertakenregularly by anyone who may have to use anAirwave radio to keep their skills and knowledgerefreshed. This would be part of someone’scontinual professional development andcompetence could hopefully be recorded withinservices’ existing HR systems.

We are also exploring existing training

opportunities into which our modules can beadded. In particular, we are looking at the role ofthe Airwave Tactical Advisers in supporting staff atincidents with regards to radio use and talk groupselection. Currently each service has its own versionof a Tactical Advisor course with little or no inputfrom the other services. JESIP is looking at thecreation of other options for these courses to ensurea joined up approach to the use of communicationsduring a major in complex incident.

“To address thechallenges around radio

use, JESIP intends todevelop a common

strategy for Airwave useat major incidents.”

To help with our work, we have drawn on theexpertise of other existing groups and nationalprojects involved in this area of work throughconsultation and representation on our OperationalCommunications working group.

Common terminology It is recognised that the terminology each service

uses to identify the same thing or asset differs.There are challenges for us all in this area as manyof the legacy systems in use have call signs andterminology built in.

We have heard many say already that ‘this justisn’t possible’ but perhaps that is where theproblem lies? Consider the scenario…

You have on-scene commanders from each servicereferring to a map of an incident ground together.They each bring with them their specialistknowledge but they are hampered by differingdescriptions of what’s on the map. Confusion anddelays are surely inevitable? Isn’t that something wewould all want to solve?

By all recognising the same symbols on the mapand recognising the descriptive terminology beingused by their co-commanders, they should be ableto quickly reach a common understanding of thesituation. They are then well equipped to providethe best, most coordinated response. Who wouldn’twant that as an outcome?

While we all aspire to achieve a commonlanguage in years to come, especially as servicesreplace old legacy systems, JESIP intends to startthat journey by getting the services to acknowledgeand commonly agree the terminology and mapsymbology they each use.

Information sharing and control rooms

The scale of this element of the programme islikely to go beyond the scope of JESIP. We will aim

to provide Government with somerecommendations about the control room systemsand how they may share information better infuture.

For those services considering or in the process ofreviewing or replacing control room systems, itwould be helpful if this wider national context wasconsidered to take advantage of the advances intechnology around electronic data sharing. In thisarea there is some particularly good work on-goingin Wales in the form of sharing incident logsbetween organisations. This project identified realbenefits by ensuring control rooms are able to passinformation electronically, which improvessituational awareness, enabled easy and instantsharing of information and reduced despatchingtimes for joint responses to multi-agency incidents.

Interoperability Workforce SurveyTo help JESIP shape the future of interoperability

within the emergency services, we will beconducting a workforce survey during May 2013.Our colleagues at Skills for Justice are facilitatingthe online survey for us and we aim to establishcurrent levels of knowledge, skills and perceptionsabout interoperability at major and complexincidents.

The survey will be aimed at those who haveperformed on-scene command roles or worked incontrol rooms at major and complex incidents forthe three blue light services. More details and thelink for the survey will be on both JESIP and Skillsfor Justice websites during May.

The findings of this survey will help ensure ourtraining and awareness packages will deliver thechanges needed on the ground to improve jointworking.

SummaryThe coming weeks will see JESIP consult with

the three blue light services on some of the initialwork completed. We are also currently consideringand consulting on the most effective and leastcumbersome delivery models for JESIP work toensure we can achieve our aims.

As with most of the outputs from JESIP, muchwill need to be adopted and embedded in the bluelight services and potentially the wider respondercommunity. Initially this will include:• Establishing the JESIP principles and ways of

working

• Developing training content and relevant testingand exercising strategies to improve the skillsand knowledge of operational and control roomstaff

• Initiation a sustainable interoperability legacybeyond JESIP that gains longer term supportfrom the emergency services

Surely all of this should go a long way toachieving our aim? JESIP – Working together –saving lives.www.jesip.org.uk

JESIP – Focus on WorkstreamFollowing the introduction to JESIP (the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Programme) in the last edition of the

Emergency Services Times, this issue takes a look at one of the JESIP workstreams – Operational Communications.

Words: Paul Lockyer.

Contact Lesley WardleCOBRA Development Manager

Email: Lesley@primetech.co.uk – tel: 07880 200 126

As we all know, communications are a common indebrief reports and interoperability has become anembedded term in much of our joint working.While technical issues are common in thesedebriefs, the most prevalent comments relate totraining and regular exercising, usually at theoperational and tactical level.

We love a pneumonic in this business so for myquick reference guide to establishinginteroperability with partners – be it face to face,routine co-location via control rooms, incident dataexchange or voice interoperability – I have chosenAPTITUDE as the term, given that training andknowledge underpin this capability.

ppropriate to the operational requirementroportionate to the scale and scope of the situationimely to match the tempo of the incidentnclusive of the right level of decision makerime bound to the phase(s) of the incidenttilising subject matter expertise, eg tacticaladvisers and service providersebriefed to identify issues, actions and benefitsmergency services and relevant responders involved

In the last two years I have had a glimpse of theemergency services perspective in a voluntarycapacity. Interoperability was woven intoappropriate modules of basic training in a realisticand practical way. Scenarios walked officersthrough the initial response, dynamic riskassessment and the responsibilities of otheremergency services; this touched on the mostchallenging background factor in the field ofinteroperability and joint working, which is thetension between our agency-specific priorities for

rescue and preservation of life, criminalinvestigation, or the return to normality and ourrespective organisational expertise andresponsibilities.

Working with partner agenciesOn the ground, I was briefed by colleagues on the

benefits (and potential pitfalls) of interoperatingwith partner agencies, particularly the localauthority, using Airwave: why, when and how. Theexample was given of routine information sharingwith the local authority on environmental waste,utilities issues, and highways repairs after roadtraffic collisions or licensing operations duringmajor events. Colleagues had found throughexperience that being empowered to contact aneighbouring organisation to pass key informationdeveloped their practice at working with anotheragency and could then apply this at a commandlevel where appropriate during incidents. On acultural note, these kinds of methods enhancedtrust between both organisations and can providematerial financial savings.

Tangible benefitsThe resourcing benefits of interoperability are

tangible; at comparable gas leak incidents in thelocal area significant local authority and emergencyservices resources were devoted to the scene toensure joined-up face-to-face command. At asimilar incident with an interoperable talkgroup inplace, those agencies in a support/monitoring role(particularly police) could change to a commontalkgroup each hour to maintain situationalawareness without the need to commit full timeresources to the incident.

“The most challengingbackground factor in thefield of interoperabilityand joint working is the

tension between ouragency-specific

priorities.”

One size does not fit all, the integrity of ourcommand and control structures should becherished; in many circumstances face-to-face willalways be the most natural and effective means ofestablishing and maintaining situational awareness.However, key to us keeping pace with technologyimprovements and public expectation isembedding appropriate and consistent knowledgein our operational and tactical decision makers andcontrol rooms relating to communications and jointworking. This will also help us to optimise thebenefits of the tools we have (particularly Airwave)by ensuring that these tools become part of thebread and butter of training and exercising toprevent skills fade and irregular use.www.epcollege.com

Making the case for interoperabilityIn the February issue of EST colleagues outlined the work underway by the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability

Programme (JESIP). As I am sure readers will agree, I see this as a fantastic opportunity to kick start a drive toward

greater consistency and effectiveness spanning a range of technical, procedural and operational strands.

Words: Rob Walley, Associate with the Cabinet Office Emergency Planning College, leading on resilient telecommunications and information sharing.

Highlighting the benefits of interoperating with partner agencies – routine information sharing with the local authority on environmental waste, utilitiesissues and highways repairs after road traffic collisions.

In many circumstances face-to-face will always be the most natural and effective means of establishing and maintaining situational awareness.

APTITUDE

The new Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will:

• Protect and improve frontline services for localcommunities against a backdrop of significantbudget reductions

• Make communities safer by ensuring a moreequitable access to specialist resources, expertiseand national capacity across Scotland providingthe right resources where and when they areneeded most

• Strengthen the links between the SFRS and thecommunities they serve through theappointment of 17 Local Senior Officers acrossthe country (a statutory requirement of thePolice and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012)

• Deliver a streamlined command structure withfewer chief officers, across Scotland

• Create 32 local fire plans for each of thecountry’s local authority areas ensuringnationally directed but locally delivered services

• Establish a national fire investigation unit and afocused approach to response and resilienceemergency services and prevention andprotection community safety activities designedto support the public to be safer from fire andother emergencies

• Provide the opportunity to embed the very beststandards of training and practices to shape anew SFRS that consistently delivers to the bestof its capability

Three Service Delivery AreasTo support and enhance local delivery, the service

will operate three Service Delivery Areas – North,East and West.

The North covers the local authority areas of:Shetland, Orkney, Western Isles, Highland, Moray,Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen, Dundee, Angus, Perthand Kinross.

“Partnership will be atthe heart of everything

we do.”The East covers the local authority areas of:

Edinburgh, Fife, Stirling, Clackmannanshire, Mid Lothian, East Lothian, West Lothian, Falkirkand the Scottish Borders.

The West covers the local authority areas of:Glasgow, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, SouthAyrshire, East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire,Inverclyde, East Dunbartonshire, WestDunbartonshire, Argyll and Bute, NorthLanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, and Dumfries and Galloway.

“Chief Officer Alasdair Hay believes the singleservice is in the best position to face the financialchallenges of public sector budget reductions andprotect the frontline. He said, “We know the publicvalue the service we provide and the professionalismand dedication of our operational crews. In the lastfew years, we have seen a steady reduction in firecasualties and fire fatalities but there is still work to

be done and we will focus on that need forcontinuous improvement, working with theassistance and support of partner agencies and thepublic to deliver better outcomes for communities.

“Redesigning eight regional services into a nationalservice will ensure that we reduce the duplicationthat currently exists and by being more efficient andeffective can focus on delivering excellent emergencyand community safety services. Our aim will be toensure high quality, continually improving, effectiveand consistent services responsive to local people’sneeds irrespective of where they live, rural or urban.”

Chief Officer Alasdair Hay emphasised, “Althoughwe are a national organisation, we will continue todeliver our services locally for local communities.Services will still be delivered from local stations bylocal firefighters and there should be no change tothe excellent level of fire and rescue service provision.

“We will build on the excellent work that hasalready been done to reduce the instances of fires,fire casualties and fatalities and respond to a widerange of emergencies from fire fighting to flooding,responding to road traffic collisions, people trappedand in need of our specialist resources and skillsincluding water rescue, rope rescue and urbansearch and rescue.”

Chair of the new SFRS Board, Pat Watters, said“The board will play a crucial role in scrutinising theperformance of the new service as well as supportingthe Chief Officer to shape and direct a Scottish Fireand Rescue Service that delivers for communitiesacross Scotland.

“Partnership will be at the heart of everything wedo. We will work closely with national and localgovernment and develop stronger relationships withkey partners, including police, social care andhousing and, of course, staff and their representativesand the public, to deliver a service we can all beproud of.”www.firescotland.gov.uk

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Servicewill deliver a Safer ScotlandMonday 1 April 2013 saw the first day of the national fire and rescue service for Scotland, with a workforce of more than

9000 firefighters and support staff and the responsibility for ensuring the safety of more than five million people. While

the move to the single fire and rescue service in Scotland is one of the biggest redesigns of fire and rescue service

provision in the UK since the Second World War, Chief Officer Alasdair Hay is confident that the Scottish Fire and

Rescue Service (SFRS) will deliver the benefits of reform and make the country a safer place to live.

(From L to R) Chief Officer Alasdair Hay; Minister RoseannaCunningham; and Chair of the new SFRS Board Pat Watters at launchof new service in Perth.

ESTPROFILE | 35

36 | ESTKIT EVOLUTION

The 1460 boot – Dr. MartensThe first Dr. Martens boots in the UK came out on 1 April 1960, the 1460 (so named for the date of its introduction, using theconvention of day/month/year) is still in production today. By the late 1970s, Dr. Martens boots were cited as standarduniform for the police – although some forces specified that the trademark yellow stitching had to be penned in black to meetcolour regulations. The soles, which were resistant to oil, petrol and acid, proved particularly useful for dealing with leakingcar fuel at the scene of traffic accidents. Some officers reported that the soft soles proved invaluable for sneaking up oncriminals, while the high-legged quarters offered protection against physical attack. www.drmartens.com

Upper:The 1460 carries all

the key brandtrademarks – yellow weltstitch, gooved sidewall,

DMS tread pattern, heelloop and the boots

silhouette.

Outsole:The original

Dr. Martens air-cushioned sole, is oil- and

fat-resistant, tough andoffers good abrasion and

slip resistance.

Construction:This is a Goodyear-welted product. The

upper and sole are sewntogether and the Z welt-stitch and heat-sealingprocess make it unique

to Dr Martens.

ESTKIT EVOLUTION | 37

The Mustang boot – Dr. MartensThe Mustang boot is part of a new Service Collection of boots launched by Dr. Martens to meet the demands of today’s policeservice. Ensuring that this new product offering meets modern-day requirements of the police service, the team at Dr. Martenshas collaborated extensively with police and security officers to fully understand their needs. The Mustang features acemented construction, which offers a high level of water resistance and features cutting edge technology, including a treatedinsole to combat bacteria growth and D30™ impact protection inserts positioned over the anklebone.www.drmartens.com/servicerange

Upper:Waterproof

industrial leather andwater resistant mesh

with padded collar andpadded tongue for

comfort.

Insole:The mould arch

support provides theheel stability, which

reduces foot and lowerbody discomfort for the

wearer.

Outsole:The outsole is heat-

resistant to 300°C and slip-resistant, while its cleated tread

pattern offers a high degree of oiland abrasion resistance. A Nitrilerubber outsole combined with anenergy absorbing, compression

moulded EVA midsoleensures a lightweight,

comfortable fit.

Safetyfeatures: The

boots contain a curvedD30® ankle guard, which

disperses and absorbs impact,reducing force transmitted to

the area, and ensuresincreased comfort for

the wearer.

Insole:Removable

Smartmask® insole providesextra cushioning and superior

shock absorption properties. It isdesigned to be breathable, avoidingfoot perspiration. The insole has an

Agion® treatment, which utilisessilver ions to inhibit the growth

of bacteria, mould andfungus.

38 | EST

ESTMEDICAL | 39

Using the new public health outcomes frameworkto measure our health for the next three years,PHE will help bring about fundamentalimprovements in the public’s health and wellbeing,by focusing its energies on five key priorities:

1. Helping people to live longer by reducingpreventable deaths from conditions such as heartdisease, stroke, cancer and liver disease

2. Increasing healthy life expectancy by tacklingconditions, which place a burden on many lives,such as anxiety, depression and back pain

3. Protecting the population from infectiousdiseases and environmental hazards, includingemerging risks and the growing problem ofantimicrobial resistance

4. Supporting families to give children the beststart in life, through working with health visitors,Family Nurse Partnerships and the TroubledFamilies Programme

5. Helping employers to facilitate and encouragetheir staff to make healthy choices.

Duncan Selbie, Chief Executive of PHE, said,“For the first time in 40 years local authorities willhave a legal responsibility for improving the healthof their communities. Local government is thenatural leader for this task – they will be able toplace health and wellbeing in the wider context ofthe local economy, housing, leisure, education,crime and community resilience, and have theskills, knowledge and passion to provide public

health services designed for the needs of their local population.

“PHE’s role will be to encourage and inspire. Wewill support national and local government and theNHS by providing professional advice, knowledgeand evidence, and help people to make healthierchoices. We will also nurture the development ofthe public health system and the professionalworkforce, and regularly report on outcomes andprogress – promoting success and having thecourage to challenge where required.”

“If we are to help people live longer, healthierlives, the broader health system urgently needs tointensify efforts in these areas. And we need toredress a historic imbalance by focusing as muchon the prevention of ill health and the promotion ofwellbeing as we do on ensuring effective, highquality and accountable clinical care andrehabilitation services.”

A healthier population“Ultimately, in order to really make a difference

in improving our nation’s health, concerted actionwill be required, with individuals, families, localcommunities, local councils, the NHS andgovernment all taking responsibility and workingtogether towards a healthier population. We alreadyhave a range of effective tools for individuals,clinicians and policymakers to respond to thesehealth challenges. We need to apply and scale-upwhat we know works. And we need the will tomake this happen.

“Emergency preparednessspecialists embedded

throughout PHE play animportant role in training

and exercising thehealthcare community.”

“The creation of PHE and the movement ofpublic health into local authorities are hugetransformational opportunities for improving thepublic’s health, and there could be no better time todo things differently. PHE is in a unique positionin that it can take a wide overview of public healthand the causes of ill health. We will work alongsidelocal authorities and the NHS to ensure nationaland local resources are directed towards the areaswhere attention is needed most and the biggestimprovements can be made to meet the needs ofour demographically changing population.”

Emergency response departmentPHE includes a Health Protection Directorate – a

number of teams totalling nearly 900 staffmembers, which includes health protectionspecialists coordinating services at a local level, anationally organised epidemiology service, based atPHE Colindale, a Global health team, radiation,chemicals and poisons specialists and anemergency response department, which works toimprove the UK’s emergency response capability.The directorate delivers health protection servicesthat maintain and deliver best practice tointernational standards. It is a source of expertadvice and operational support and contributesactively to policy making and implementation inpartnership with other PHE directorates and theDepartment of Health and externally with theNational Health Service (NHS), local authoritiesand other agencies.

Training and exercisingThe Emergency Response Department works

with national and international partners to ensurethat healthcare professionals are able to respond toemergencies, including the deliberate or accidentalrelease of chemical, biological, radiological ornuclear substances. Emergency preparednessspecialists embedded throughout PHE play animportant role in training and exercising thehealthcare community.www.gov.uk/phe

Longer and healthier lives the focusfor Public Health EnglandPublic Health England (PHE), a new national body, an executive agency of the Department of Health, took up its full

responsibilities on 1 April 2013. PHE, which includes the Health Protection Agency’s former remit, will work to help

people live longer, healthier lives by supporting and enabling local government, the NHS and the public to protect and

improve health and wellbeing and reduce inequalities.

Exercise Orpheus, Fire Service College, Moreton in Marsh – USAR – 2008.

Evacuation exercise – Royal Brompton Hospital, London –patients/casualties being assisted to leave the hospital building.(HPA/PHE involved as planners).

40 | EST

ESTMEDICAL | 41

Today the independent companies now operateunder the same quality compliance rules as NHSambulance trusts and for the first time they have acollective voice, which is recognised and heard byhealthcare policy makers and regulators. But thiscould just be the start of the transition and becomethe basis for a public private partnership to create anational service, which in every sense is committedto putting patients first.

The first very tentative step may have alreadybeen taken with the recent announcement that thetwo main organisations representing NHS andindependent ambulance services in England haveagreed to work together to ensure the highestquality patient services.

In a joint statement, the Association ofAmbulance Chief Executives (AACE), whichcoordinates and implements nationally agreedstrategy and policy on behalf of the 10 NHSambulance trusts in England, and the IAA said thatafter constructive discussions both organisationsagreed that the issues they face to provide the bestoutcomes for patients were very similar and that itwas now timely, against the background of theNHS reforms, to build on the relationship whichalready exists.

“Collaboration wouldachieve quicker and moreeffective results, save all

of us money and moreimportantly better serve

the patient.”

Increased market opportunitiesThe real impact of this new relationship is clearly

an unknown factor and the next stage of change forthe ambulance sector will be determined largely bythe recently introduced NHS reforms and the wayambulance companies themselves respond to theexpected increased market opportunities forindependent healthcare providers.

The IAA’s membership of more than 50companies represents a significant resource,employing more than 2000 trained personnel andoperating a combined fleet of over 2200 vehiclesfrom 100 plus locations across England.

In its commitment to the highest standard ofpatient care, the IAA is working with the CQC toraise the performance bar for all ambulance

companies and at thesame time is encouragingits members to continueto do even better; thecompanies will also needto maintain investment intheir fleets, personneltraining and informationtechnology.

Respect andrecognition

The historic stridentcriticism of privateparticipation in the NHShas been graduallysoftened over the decadesby financial needs andpolitical influences;pockets of resistance stillexist but in reality ambulance trusts and companiesare working together every day, as customer andprovider respectively – and in some instances ascompetitors. It is an odd and complex relationshipin which neither side could financially survivewithout each other.

But there is also growing recognition that somuch more could be done to improve the quality ofthe patient experience if the operationalrelationship was extended and the concerns onboth sides were finally laid to rest to be replaced bya declared commitment to full cooperation.

Public-private collaborationAs a starter there are four areas of possible public-

private collaboration:

1. Training: NHS trusts and the companies needmore qualified ambulance people and bothcould save time and money if expertise wasshared

2. Apprenticeships: trusts and companies couldtogether provide apprenticeship opportunities forthe many young people who are leavinguniversity with ambulance and managementqualifications

3. Vehicle development: again working togetherwith chassis manufacturers and specialistconverters would inevitably save time andmoney and produce the best possible vehicle

4. Lobbying: the economic and social issues arethe same for both public and independentambulance services and their voice to policydecision-makers would be that much strongertogether.

These are just some of the areas wherecollaboration would achieve quicker and moreeffective results, save all of us money and moreimportantly better serve the patient.

As an industry we look forward hopefully to theday when we will be working closer with fellowprofessionals in the public sector because we bothhave the same end goal – a world beating costefficient ambulance service, which puts patients first.www.iaauk.org

Ambulance services must worktogether to put patients first, says IAAIndependent ambulance companies have been changed radically in recent years, by two largely unrelated decisions.

The first, and by far the most significant, was the Government’s decision to regulate the companies by the Care Quality

Commission (CQC) and the second was the companies’ own decision to create a not for profit trade association – the

Independent Ambulance Association (IAA).

Words: David Davis, Director, Independent Ambulance Association.

David Davis, Director, Independent Ambulance Association.

What will ambulancecrews will bewearing in 2050?Solar panelled uniforms, warm in the winter andcool in the summer and wired for diagnostic andlife-saving equipment – that’s what ambulancecrews will be wearing by 2050, according to anIAA display of future uniform designs at Life Connections, which takes place from 16-17 May in Kettering.

The uniform has been created by awardwinning designer Claire Conley, of UniformExpress Ltd, who predicts they will also bewearing:• Breathable glass oxygen/safety bubbles and

spectacles, which display diagnostic andtreatment messages

• Wrist radios and GPRS gloves• Anti-bacterial facemasks.www.lifeconnections.uk.com

42 | ESTMEDICAL

The HART programme began its roll out in 2008with London and Yorkshire trialling parts of thecapability to assess clinical effectiveness. The maindrive for HART was to deliver a highly trainedclinician to the side of a patient, wherever they maybe – however challenging and difficult thecircumstances. The broad objectives of theprogramme were to be able to treat patients atCBRN and HAZMAT related incidents as well asat height, depth or in collapsed structures – USAR.

Excellent clinical benefitsThe feedback indicated excellent clinical benefits

to patients that would see a significant increase inpatient outcomes when treated by a clinician in ahazardous environment.

The roll out was to take place over three years andcomprised 12 teams. Midway through the roll out arequest was made to take on an additionalcapability and area of operation – dealing withfloods. The floods of 2007 highlighted shortfalls inthe emergency service response. Sir Michael Pitt’sreview and the Government’s action plan ensuredwe are all better prepared for flooding – before,during and after it happens.

HART’s role was for all staff to undertake theappropriate training to work with fire and rescueservice (FRS) colleagues and deliver a clinicalcapability in a flooding environment. The floods of2007 showed that members of the public withunderlying health conditions had difficulty inevacuating but also that supportive clinical carecould not be provided due to the access problemscaused by flooding.

The Strategic Defence & Security Review, SDSR,took place in 2010 and funding was made availablefor an additional three teams to be added so thatEngland and its major cities all had comprehensivecover. At the same time the Welsh AssemblyGovernment was looking to replicate HART inWales as they could see the benefit in patientoutcomes also.

Today there are 15 teams in England, one team inWales, two in Scotland – where they are calledSORT – and one team in Northern Ireland. Whilethe teams in Wales, Scotland and Northern Irelandare technically from devolved governments theyhave representation on all of HART’s groups, suchas Operations.

Each HART Team comprises 42 staff who all havethe same skills and training, which can besummarised as follows:• IRU – Incident Response Unit: CBRN/Hazmat

using EDBA, CR1 or PRPS• USAR – Urban Search and Rescue: height, depth

or collapsed structures• IWO – Inland Water Operations: DEFRA

aligned training• TMO – Tactical Medical Operations: support to

firearms operations and public disorder.

“The consistent messageis that early interventionby HART paramedics in ahazardous area improves

patient outcomes.”

They operate in teams of six with two staff onresponse cars supporting their ambulance trust for999 calls and the others on station training orexercising. They will then deploy whatever vehiclesare required depending upon the incident type. Thestaff on the response cars are sent first and provideearly information for the rest of the team. Vehicles atthe teams’ disposal range from Land RoverDiscoveries to satellite-equipped command vehiclesand six-wheel drive patient transporters.

Centralised trainingThe training for HART staff takes place at two

centres: Winterbourne Gunner, for the IRUelement; and Moreton in Marsh, for USAR. Thebenefits of centralised training have been proven in

both exercises and when trusts have made requestsfor mutual aid.

The programme is now four years old and aconsiderable amount of evidence has been gatheredas to our clinical practice in hazardous areas. Theconsistent message is that early intervention byHART paramedics in a hazardous area improvespatient outcomes. The teams record all of the caseson our own software system, which also managesthe training and refreshers we need to undertake.There is a large amount of regulation and legislationthat applies to our work, just ask the fire and rescueservice! And as such each team has a protectedtraining week every seven weeks to re-qualify foreach of the skill sets so that they can maintain legaland regulatory compliance.

Chemical exposure incidentsWhile HART is not looking for new capabilities,

the ones we have are being used in new andchallenging ways. The rise of people harmingthemselves through the use of chemicals has provedchallenging for all emergency services. The termChemical Suicide to categorise these incidentshasn’t helped – this presumption has hamperedresponses and led to confusion among theemergency services as to roles and responsibilities.

Dr John Stephenson from the NationalAmbulance Resilience Unit (NARU) is developinga strategy to deal with incidents of this type. Hesaid, “The ambulance service is responsible for theclinical care of the patient, and until the patient hasbeen removed from the chemical exposure to anormal, well ventilated atmosphere they arepresumed to be a potential survivor and allappropriate attempts should be made at

HART capabilities assessed asrollout completedThe Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) programme has been rolling out across ambulance trusts in England since

2008. This article brings us up to date with the HART roll out and also explains other health programmes that the

Department of Health has introduced as part of its responsibilities under the CONTEST strategy.

Words: James Price, Chair of the HART National Operations Group and HART Manager for West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.

HART has completed its roll out and is working well in deliveringclinical care in hazardous environments.

James Price, Chair of the HART National Operations Group and HARTManager for West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.

All HART vehicles look the same and are loaded with exactly the sameequipment, stored in the same place on the vehicle.

ESTMEDICAL | 43

resuscitation. Only once the patient has beenrecognised as life extinct does clinical primacycease.”

“The term Deliberate Individual ChemicalExposure or DICE would be more applicable as itremoves presumption of the incident outcome,” saidDr Stephenson.

The policy will be supported by training andguidance for responders from all blue lightresponders and Dr Stephenson is workingextensively with colleagues from the fire and rescue and police services, as well as the new bodyPublic Health England, which took over the remitof the Health Protection Agency on 1 April (seearticle on page 39).

National ambulance capabilityHART has completed its roll out and is working

well in delivering clinical care in hazardousenvironments but it is only one programme that theDepartment of Health has developed. Two otherprogrammes support the strategy that was designedin response to the review of ambulance capability atthe 7 July 2005 bombings in London.

The next programme was the deployment of 24mass casualty vehicles in England with eachambulance trust having either two or three vehicles.This national capability supports existing trustmajor incident vehicles but is managed centrallythrough NARU and, like HART, is consistent inthat all vehicles look the same and are loaded withexactly the same equipment in the same place on allvehicles.

The final part of the capability programme wasthe deployment of Emergency Dressing Packs tomajor transport hubs and shopping centres inEngland. There are 190 packs, which are to be usedby members of the public and security staff duringan incident. They contain basic equipment such asdressings and bandages so that basic wound carecan be carried out while the emergency services areon their way to the incident.

Decontamination equipmentimproved

While new capabilities have been introduced theimprovement of existing capabilities has also takenplace. The ambulance service has been able todecontaminate patients involved in a CBRNincident since 2002, a role undertaken by theSpecial Operations Response Team (SORT). Theearly equipment was basic but has been improvedover the years. The current structures are externallyframed tents that have disrobe and re-robe areasand can be heated in inclement weather.

The ambulance service has benefited fromsignificant investment over the years so that patientoutcomes can be improved in challengingenvironments – be that in the Hot Zone withHART or the Warm Zone with SORT. Theparamedic qualification is now degree-based and theoccupation is registered through the Health CareProfessions Council (HCPC).

The vehicles and equipment of HART and SORTare only part of the story. They are all deliverysystems to take the clinician to where the patient isand from there begin a stepped level of care throughHot, Warm and Cold Zones and onward into thewider NHS.http://naru.org.uk

The impact of disasters and emergencies hasincreased in recent years, perhaps influenced bychanges in threat levels, for example an increasedincidence of severe weather events and growingsocio-political or economic instability. Additionally,the vulnerability of populations may be increasingfollowing demographic changes; where peoplechoose to live and their exposure to threats; in theincreasing diversity within communities, eg in theage and health profile of communities, employmentstatus, social disadvantage and increaseddependence on essential services that are beyondour control.

There are several issues at the forefront ofthinking about the role of emergency services inreducing the impact of emergencies and disaster,including how we contribute to building resilientcommunities, bolstering capacity and capability.How prepared are communities? How do we movebeyond the unrealistic strategy of strengtheningemergency services response and engage in buildinga more resilient community? What are the costeffective strategies that would improve outcomesassociated with day-to-day emergencies and betterprepare for the next catastrophic emergency?

Partnership workingThe World Association for Disaster and

Emergency Medicine (WADEM) is working,alongside its partners, to improve the scientific basisfor disaster and emergency health practicetranslating scientific evidence into improvedpractice and outcomes.

Key issues include developing consensus onstandards for disaster medical teams, supporting theprofessionalisation of the humanitarian relief

workforce, and establishing relevant professionalsections within WADEM.

Taking place biannually, the World Congress onDisaster and Emergency Medicine provides anopportunity to boost this effort, engage with newpartners and share ideas, networks, and resourcesacross the many disciplines within disaster andemergency health. The 18th Congress will be heldin the United Kingdom, in Manchester, from 28-31 May.

I invite you to contribute expertise andexperiences to help build the future of disaster andemergency health. The Congress sessions,exhibitors, keynote addresses, and networkingopportunities will facilitate this effort. It provides theopportunity to meet and discuss concepts, strategiesand emerging issues with colleagues from aroundthe world. Presentations will be stimulating, but formany of us, the greatest benefit arises from theinformal conversations and connections establishedat this international event.

Keynote speakersThe Peter Safar Award, in memory of our

founding president, is awarded at each congress tosomeone who has contributed significantly toDisaster and Emergency Care. This year the awardgoes to Professor Douglas Chamberlain, HonoraryProfessor of Resuscitation Medicine at CardiffUniversity, founder of European pre-hospital care.Other Keynote speakers include: Professor AnthonyRedmond, Professor of International EmergencyMedicine at the University of Manchester, Lead forGlobal Health at the Manchester Academic HealthSciences Centre, and Deputy Director of theHumanitarian and Conflict Response Institute; Dr Mukesh Kapila, Professor of Global Health andHumanitarian Affairs at the University ofManchester, previously Special Adviser to theUnited Nations High Commissioner for HumanRights; and Professor Peter Walker, Director of theFeinstein Centre, Professor of Nutrition andHuman Security.

On behalf of the WADEM, I invite you to the18th World Congress on Disaster and EmergencyMedicine.www.wadem.org

World meets to discuss disasterand emergency medicineWords: Professor Paul Arbon, President, World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine(WADEM).

A bite block and epiglottic rest are also integratedinto the device. The large diameter cylindrical airwaytube is contained within a buccal cavity stabiliser,which is anatomically widened and concaved toeliminate the potential for rotation and providevertical strength for insertion [1].

Clinical evidence related to use of i-gel in CPR

Initially, i-gel was only indicated for use in routineand emergency anaesthesia. However, the indicationsfor use were extended to include resuscitationfollowing publication of studies reporting easy andrapid insertion [2-5], high seal pressures [3,6,7], minimaltraining period to enable safe use [5] and insertion bynon-anaesthetists [2,4]; and extended further in 2011to include use as a conduit for intubation with fibreoptic guidance.

Reported use of i-gel during cardiac arrest

Dr Jasmeet Soar published the first reported use ofi-gel during cardiac arrest in 2007, which confirmedeasy ventilation of a patient’s lungs with the i-gelconnected to a self-inflating bag-valve device. He alsoconfirmed the patient’s lungs were ventilatedasynchronously during chest compressions with noleak. The i-gel was used for approximately 10minutes with no clinical evidence of aspiration [8].

To date, the most recent and comprehensive dataon the use of i-gel during cardiopulmonaryresuscitation is a report by Larkin, D’Agapeyeff andGabbott in 2012 on 100 uses of the device as part of

airway management during hospital based CPR.Insertion of the i-gel by 49 nurses, 47 junior doctorsand four resuscitation officers resulted in 99/100devices being successfully inserted on the first orsecond attempt, and only one failure to insert. Theauthors concluded by stating that ‘as a result of ourfirst 100 i-gel insertions, the device has now becomeour ‘first line’ supraglottic airway device of choiceduring the initial phase of CPR whilst theresuscitation team is summoned’[9].

“The i-gel O2 has beendesigned to facilitateventilation as part ofstandard resuscitation

protocols.”

The i-gel O2 Resus PackThe i-gel O2 Resus Pack (Figure 2), the newest

addition to the i-gel product range, contains amodified i-gel with a supplementary oxygen port. Italso includes a sachet of lubricant for quick and easylubrication of the i-gel O2 prior to insertion, anairway support strap to secure the i-gel O2 in positionand a suction tube for insertion through the gastricchannel to empty the stomach contents (Figure 3).

The i-gel O2 has been designed to facilitate

ventilation as part of standard resuscitation protocolssuch as those designated by the EuropeanResuscitation Council (ERC) [10] as well as for thedelivery of passive oxygenation as part of anappropriate CardioCerebral Resuscitation (CCR)protocol.

ConclusionThe evidence currently available suggests i-gel has

many attributes required of an airway device for useduring pre-hospital resuscitation, including easy andrapid insertion, high seal pressures, minimal trainingperiod to enable safe use and a mechanism formanaging regurgitant fluid. The new i-gel O2 ResusPack provides additional benefits, including theoption of delivering passive oxygenation through thesupplementary oxygen port. Further clinical studieson the use of i-gel in pre-hospital resuscitation andon the use of the i-gel O2 for the delivery of passiveoxygenation are awaited.

The Intersurgical i-gel and i-gel O2 Resus Packshould only be used by personnel who are suitablytrained and experienced in the use of airwaymanagement techniques and devices and have theappropriate level of life support training asdesignated by the European Resuscitation Council(ERC) or appropriate national resuscitationgoverning body.www.intersurgical.co.uk

References1.i-gel User Guide. 9989 issue 1, Intersurgical Ltd,Wokingham, Berkshire, UK. 2010.2.Bamgbade OA, Macnab WR, Khalaf WM, Evaluationof the i-gel airway in 300 patients. Eur J Anaesthesiol,2008; 25(10):865-6.3. Richez B, Saltel L, Banchereau F, et al. A new single usesupraglottic airway with a noninflatable cuff and anesophageal vent: An observational study of the i-gel.Anesth Analg, 2008; 106(4): 1137-9.4. Wharton NM, Gibbison B, Gabbott DA et al. I-gelinsertion by novices in manikins and patients.Anaesthesia, 2008; 63(9): 991-5.5. Gatward JJ, Thomas MJC, Nolan JP et al. Effect ofchest compressions on the time taken to insert airwaydevices in a manikin. Br J Anaesth, 2008; 100(3): 351-6.6. Gatward JJ, Cook TM, Seller C et al. Evaluation of thesize 4 i-gel airway in one hundred non-paralysedpatients. Anaesthesia, 2008; 63 (10): 1124-30.7. Sharma B, Sehgal R, Sahai C et al. PLMA vs i-gel: Acomparative evaluation of respiratory mechanics inlaparoscopic cholecystectomy. J Anaesth Clin Pharmacol,2010; 26(4): 451-7.8. Soar J, The i-gel supraglottic airway and resuscitation -some initial thoughts. Resuscitation, 2007; 74 (1): 197.9. Larkin C, King B, D’Agapeyeff A, Gabbott D. i-gelsupraglottic airway use during hospital cardiopulmonaryresuscitation. Resuscitation 2012; 83: e14110. Nolan JP, Soar J, Zideman DA et al. EuropeanResuscitation Council Guidelines for Resuscitation 2010.Section 1. Executive Summary. Resuscitation, 2010;81:1219-76

ESTMEDICAL | 45

Use of the Intersurgical i-gel®

supraglottic airway in pre-hospitalcardiopulmonary resuscitationThe Intersurgical i-gel® (Figure 1) is an innovative 2nd generation supraglottic airway with a soft, gel-like, non-inflatable

cuff. The i-gel is designed to create a non-inflatable anatomical seal of the pharyngeal, laryngeal and peri-laryngeal

structures. It incorporates a gastric channel to provide an early warning of regurgitation, facilitate venting of gas from

the stomach, and to allow for the passing of a suction tube to empty the stomach contents.

Figure 1: The Intersurgical i-gel® – a 2nd generation supraglotticairway with a soft, gel-like, non-inflatable cuff.

Figure 2: The i-gel O2 Resus Pack contains a modified i-gel with asupplementary oxygen port.

Figure 3: The i-gel O2 Resus Pack includes a sachet of lubricant forquick and easy lubrication of the i-gel O2 prior to insertion, an airwaysupport strap to secure the i-gel O2 in position and a suction tube forinsertion through the gastric channel to empty the stomach contents.

46 | ESTMEDICAL

The Association of Ambulance ChiefExecutives 2013 Advanced Life Support(Adult) Resuscitation Sectionrecommends considering allreversible causes for cardiacarrest [1]. If a patient remains incardiac arrest after severalcycles and the suspectedcause is myocardialinfarction, pulmonaryemboli or accidentalhypothermia, how doesone proceed with theresuscitation?

Several case studies haveshown that prolonged CPR, duringwhich the cause is found and corrected,can make a difference in patient outcomes.The LUCAS® Chest Compression System provideseffective and continuous chest compressions andmakes it possible to safely transport the cardiacarrest patient during on-going CPR to the hospitalfor further diagnosis and therapy. In thecatheterisation lab the coronary arteries can bereopened during LUCAS compressions.

Maintaining CPR quality duringtransfer

In 2010, the European Resuscitation Councilstated, “In hospital, mechanical devices have been

used effectively to support patientsundergoing primary coronaryintervention (PCI) and CT scans and alsofor prolonged resuscitation attempts

(eg hypothermia, poisoning,thrombolysis for pulmonaryembolism, prolonged transportetc) where rescuer fatigue mayimpair the effectiveness ofmanual chest compressions.In the pre-hospital

environment, whereextrication of patients,resuscitation in confined

spaces and movement ofpatients on a trolley often

preclude effective manualchest compressions, mechanical

devices may also have an important role. Duringtransport to hospital, manual CPR is oftenperformed poorly; mechanical CPR can maintaingood quality CPR during an ambulance transfer.Mechanical devices also have the advantage ofallowing defibrillation without interruption inexternal chest compressions. The role ofmechanical devices in all situations requires furtherevaluation.” [2]

In February 2013, the Resuscitation Council UKstated, “We recognise that, in the absence ofevidence-based guidelines, there may be specific

circumstances in which the case for use of amechanical CPR device can be argued usingclinical reasoning. Where a clinical service intendsusing mechanical CPR on this basis werecommend that it is used only according to clearlocal clinical guidelines and under careful clinicalgovernance.” [3]

Increased opportunitiesToday over 100 publications have referenced

studies or provided comment on the LUCAS ChestCompression System. These publications highlightexamples of improved chest compression quality,improved blood flow to the brain and heart, andincreased opportunities to treat reversible causes.

For the latest annotated reference list, ademonstration of the LUCAS device and moreinformation on how it could benefit your patients,please contact: Samantha.Amena@physio-control.com.www.physio-control.com

References:1. JRCALC / UK Ambulance Services ClinicalPractice Guidelines 2013; Section 2: pg. 45-492. ERC Guidelines Resuscitation 2011; 81:12363. February 2013, Resuscitation Council UKStatement on Mechanical CPR devices:http://www.resus.org.uk/pages/mchCPRdv.htm

Does mechanical CPR have a role in pre-hospital cardiac arrests?

The current procedure for rescuing a patient on abackboard, using a standard backboard, requirestwo first responders to lift the backboard with thepatient on it and carry the patient and thebackboard from the point of rescue to the stretcher.In addition, during the carry, one responder has towalk backwards, which is very awkward, while theother faces forward.

A new procedure, using a WauK™ board,requires two first responders to lift the head end ofthe backboard, with the patient on it, to shoulderheight and roll the patient and the backboard fromthe point of rescue to the stretcher. In thisprocedure both responders face forward and areable to see where they are going.

The new procedure is possible because of thedevelopment of the WauK™ board – a backboard-like device with wheels, a self-contained footrestand strategically placed handholds, which allow itto be used like a dolly – a mobile platform thatrolls on casters, used for transporting heavy loads.

Rolling rather than carryingBecause the WauK™ board can be used as a

dolly, it helps prevent back injury by allowing firstresponders to transport their patient to safety byrolling rather than carrying them.

The WauK™ board can also be used to transporta patient down stairs. If you are dealing withscissors stairs, the WauK™ board can be takenvertical on the landing, rotated 180 degrees byheeling one of the wheels and then continuing withthe transport.

You do not need extra space to store the WauK™board since it is designed to fit in the backboardcompartment of your ambulance. In addition, there

is a standard version and a compact versionavailable so that the WauK™ board fits in almostall ambulances.www.waukboard.com

Backboard innovation aims to prevent backinjuries by rolling rather than carrying patientsWords: Brian Bandel and Garry Bandel, Bandel Innovations, LLC.

Two first responders lift the head end of the backboard to shoulderheight and roll the patient from the point of rescue to the stretcher.

The WauK™ board can also be used to transport a patient down stairs.

ESTMEDICAL | 47

As we move towards the summer months, thecharity Carbon Monoxide Awareness(Registered No. 1125755) is continuing its‘national’ campaign to raise awarenessof the dangers of Carbon Monoxidepoisoning from barbecues. Theseproducts are designed solely foroutdoor use and should not be used inenclosed spaces such as tents, caravans,campervans or in the home.

Modern tents are designed as an integralstructure with built-in groundsheets and carbonmonoxide gases can rise to fatal levels in a matter ofminutes if portable or disposable barbecues are usedinside for heating purposes.

Working with fire and rescue servicesLynn Griffiths, President of Carbon Monoxide

Awareness, said, “Already this year there have been anumber of carbon monoxide fatalities and serious

injuries resulting from people not being awarethat carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourlesshighly toxic gas that is produced by theincomplete combustion of any hydrocarbon fuel,eg coal, charcoal, wood, oil, natural gas and liquid

petroleum gas (LPG).”Carbon monoxide (CO) is difficult to detect

because it is colourless and has no taste or smell.People often don’t realise that they are beingovercome by fumes until it is too late. CO Awarenessis working with several fire and rescue services fromacross the UK to try and make sure the publicbecome more aware of the dangers of this silentkiller. The charity’s work is also supported by theChief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA).

Targeting campsitesThe charity will be targeting campsite owners and

their staff again this year with information on how torecognise the presence of carbon monoxide inenclosed tented and caravan areas. Lynn said, “Wedon’t want to see another death or injury from abarbecue during a music festival, or summer holiday.We will continue campaigning to have CarbonMonoxide advice prominently displayed on the

packaging of barbecues and tents. Sainsbury’s havejust contacted us to say their barbecue packagingwill carry a carbon monoxide warning this year. Ihope the other stores will now follow their lead.”www.covictim.org

Outdoor barbecues should stay outdoorssays CO Awareness charity

CO Awareness would like to see its Cozy but Deadly poster being usedat all music festivals this year.

Barbecue packaging at Sainsbury’s will carry a Carbon Monoxidewarning this year.

48 | ESTMEDICAL

Kit knowledgedrives onlinebusinessWith over 30 years experience in both the policeand ambulance service, Andy Coppin and Glenn Warner have a wealth of knowledge andunderstanding of what kit emergency personnelneed to do their jobs.

It was through their own difficulty in sourcingquality kit at affordable prices that the pair formedPolAmb Products. They started by supplying asmall number of everyday items and just sixmonths later, now have 67 products for salethrough Amazon, ebay and their own webshop,including CPR face shields, patrol pouches andbags.

“I think our years of working on the frontlineboth within the police and ambulance servicesmeans that we know what emergency staff willneed and whether a product will sustain the rigoursof their job,” said Glenn and Andy. “We want toearn a reputation for supplying quality andaffordable products to those who keep us safe.”

The Northamptonshire duo is committed togrowing the business with new products beingadded regularly.www.PoliceMedicalSupplies.co.uk

JRCALC Clinical guidelines updatenow availableSP Services, international supplier of medical, firstaid, paramedic and emergency rescue equipment,has announced that the long awaited update to theJRCALC Clinical guidelines – UK AmbulanceServices Clinical Practice Guidelines 2013 – is nowavailable to order.

The 2013 Clinical Practice Guidelines provideguidance for NHS paramedics, although theprinciples are applicable to the work of all pre-hospital clinicians. The guidelines are an importantpart of clinical risk management and ensureuniformity in the delivery of high quality patientcare. As such, they form the basis for UKparamedic training and education.

Steve Bray, Managing Director of SP Services,said, “At SP Services we strive to offer the widestpossible range of training tools to our customers.We have publications covering nearly every area inour field. However once in a while a book comesalong that is considered vital, and I don’t think itsany exaggeration to say that this is one of thosepublications. Demand for this publication isexpected to be high, so we’re advising interestedcustomers to get their orders in early.”

You can order your copy via the SP Serviceswebsite in two formats, the standard A4 edition andthe convenient pocketbook edition.www.spservices.co.uk

Training for the worst-case scenario is essential andit doesn’t come much worse in a road trafficincident than an impalement. That’s where theRuth Lee Multi-Trauma training manikin comesinto play.

Based upon the company’s popular generalpurpose range and available in two weights, theMulti-Trauma manikin features a cavity in thechest to be able to insert an impalement that can besecured using the straps provided. For extrarealism, the manikin can also accommodate atrauma collar enabling the extraction team to train effectively.

The Multi-Trauma manikin also features aremovable leg and arm to simulate an amputationand add an extra dimension to the scenario. Avideo of the manikin in use in an impalementextraction scenario by Cheshire Fire and RescueService can be seen on the Ruth Lee website.

Body recovery manikinResearch and development is a big part of Ruth

Lee’s work and the company is constantly lookingat ways to improve its models and take on boardcomments from customers. Leading on from thisthe company has recently developed a new Body

Recovery manikin, which has been designed withunderwater search and rescue units in mind. Thenew model will weigh 50kg out of the water and10kg in the water, which should give a realisticrepresentation of a body underwater and help aidsearch and rescue teams to successfully train for abody recovery situation.www.ruthlee.co.uk

Trauma training for impalement injury

The Body Recovery manikin has been designed with underwatersearch and rescue units in mind.

The multi-trauma manikin features a cavity in the chest to be able toinsert an impalement that can be secured using the straps provided.

EST | 49

50 | ESTVEHICLES

This year’s event, with its 40th annual conferenceand exhibition, will take place from 4-5 June at TheInternational Centre Telford. ‘Amber Light’ hasbeen added to the original Blue Light FleetExhibition to reflect the Pan Government approachto procurement. Many of the original policeframework agreements for vehicles, equipment andservices have been expanded over the years toinclude the ambulance and fire and rescue services.In the future these contracts will become evenwider to include government departments.

This collaborative approach is alreadyseeing ambulance, police and fire andrescue services jointly buying vehiclesthrough ‘mini tender’ agreements invarious parts of the country. One of thepartners, the National StrategyAmbulance Fleet Group is now anestablished part of the NAPFM event.

Latest technologyThis year’s event will attract a wide cross section

of conference delegates and exhibition visitors fromthe UK public sector, as well as the manyinternational ones from the world’s police forces.Hong Kong Police are one of the regulars using theevent as a world benchmark for development of thelatest technology and quality.

The exhibition, with around 150 exhibitors andseveral hundred vehicles, will have something foreveryone in the public sector trying to save moneyand improve standards. The event is still recognised

by exhibitors as being great value for money as wellas providing access to strategic visitors. In additionto vehicle manufacturers such as BMW, Ford, Volvoand Vauxhall, the exhibition includes many of theUK’s vehicle converters and smaller equipmentsuppliers.

First class conference programmeThe 40th Conference once again has a first class

programme. The subjects and speakers will providemany of the answers to issues affecting emergency

service and local authority fleets. Subjectsinclude fleet benchmarking and ways ofreducing fleet operational costs.Following on from last year when theconference compared the private sectormanagement against public sectorcollaboration; this year delegates will hear

from an international logistics company onwhy they believe they can provide a better

fleet solution. Delegates will also have anopportunity to hear a leading academic’s analysis ofhow important the public sector is to vehiclemanufacturers.

Visitors and delegates will also have theopportunity to attend specialist suppliers’workshops, providing technical updates andinformation for staff.

Even after 40 years the NAPFM event continuesto look fresh, as well as providing core elementsexpected from a specialist fleet event. www.napfmevent.org.uk

NAPFM celebrates 40 yearsof supplying the servicesThe Blue & Amber Light Fleet Exhibition is the latest stage in the development

of the National Association of Police Fleet Managers’ (NAPFM) Event. This

event, run by the public sector for the public sector, has evolved over four

decades into one of the best fleet events of its type in Europe.

Words: Mike Cripps, Technical Consultant to the NAPFM Event Team.

Realistic carfire trainingscenariosRealistic training is key to any first responder’ssuccess. HAAGEN’s Car Fire Training Prop allowsinstructors to provide repeatable demonstrations toprovide emergency service professionals with theexperience necessary to handle vehicle fires andemergencies.

The Car Fire Training Prop can be used to createpassenger compartment, engine, wheel-well andboot fires at the push of a button. Run evolutionafter evolution, challenging firefighters to meet yourtraining objectives. Teach car fire fightingfundamentals, including apparatus staging,advancing hose lines, approach and attack tactics aswell as accessing the engine, passenger and bootcompartments while staying safe.

HAAGEN’s Car Fire Training Prop isconstructed of heavy-duty steel. It works inconjunction with the HAAGEN Hoseline TrainingSystem to create repeatable fires in four burn zones.Enhance your training with a pry-able bonnet,smashable headlights, integrated vehicle smoke andsound effects.

Endless scenariosIn addition to realistic training, the Car Fire Prop

permits the instructor to create endless scenarios totrain to first responders’ specific needs and goals.The instructor’s controller provides full commandof each training evolution; choose from passengercompartment, engine, wheel-well and boot fires.

The intensity of the flames can be changed at anytime and fires can be set to spread to multiplezones. The rugged, industrial grade hand-heldwireless remote also controls optional features suchas smoke and sound effects. For added safety, thecontroller features an E-stop button for rapidshutdown.

Prepare your trainees for emergency situationswith confidence using HAAGEN’s smarttechnology and rugged training tools. HAAGEN’sCar Fire Training Prop provides the most realisticand comprehensive training possible, making iteasy for instructors to meet their training objectives.www.haagen.co.uk

EST | 51

52 | ESTVEHICLES

The dedicated police fleet procurement teamtransferred to the Home Office in October 2011and is managed as part of the Collaborative PoliceProcurement Programme. In addition, thegovernance changes in the police forces, the latestof which has been the election of Police and CrimeCommissioners to replace police authorities, hasmeant all forces have seen considerable change intheir procurement processes over the last few years.

The requirement to save 20 percent of the 2010budget by 2015 has also meant that the pace ofthese changes and reviews has been swift and thishas been felt acutely in the area of fleet andtransport in general, as this is felt to be an area thatsavings can be achieved without affecting frontlineofficer performance.

“NAPFM and its memberscontinue to develop and

seek innovative fleetsolutions through quality

performancemanagement, best value,and national procurement

collaboration.”Before we examine how we are shaping up to

meet these challenges it is interesting to see whatskills, expertise and processes we have currently inplace and how these were formed. All police fleetmanagers are members of an organisation calledthe National Association of Police Fleet Managers(NAPFM).

NAPFMThe NAPFM membership covers all

43 police forces of England and Wales,the newly formed Scottish force

(formerly eight individual forces), and NorthernIreland and non-Home Office forces, includingBritish Transport Police and the police forces of theIsle of Man, States of Jersey and Guernsey.

The association’s membership accounts for a fleetsize of over 45,000 vehicles with an annual spendon the procurement of vehicles alone ofapproximately £90m.

In 1994 the association realised that there werebenefits from a national approach to procurementand so the NAPFM Procurement Committee wasformed. Its original members would be amazed atthe success of this committee and the savings it hasachieved; indeed the frameworks and contractsawarded are seen as a model for other areas ofGovernment to copy or aspire towards.

ApproachThe NAPFM procurement strategy is: ‘To secure

the best possible value for money throughcollaboration, standardisation and environmentallysustainable purchasing solutions for the PoliceService nationally and where mutual benefit can beachieved, the wider Government Fleet’.

To achieve this objective collaboration acrosspolice forces on specifications, requirements, and acommitment to pool spend is essential. Theprocurement committee then uses this aggregatedpurchasing power and detailed specifications toobtain the best possible deal from the market place.The suppliers have come to accept that theassociation can be trusted to deliver sales in linewith projections – even though there are no

guarantees that all forces will use the deals 100percent, the majority do. This has enabled a greatdeal of trust and respect to develop between theNAPFM members and suppliers.

Being operationally based this procurementmodel delivers the correct products to the policeand emergency services in the ideal format, at acost effective and sustainable price. The latestframeworks clearly demonstrate the benefits ofcollaboration and carefully developed specificationsacross all forces, regardless of size or operationalterrain to ensure a positive result.

A suite of contracts and frameworks let andmanaged by the Home Office Collaborative teamcover most areas of fleet activity. These togetherwith a number of contracts shared with othergovernment organisations, provide a toolkit thatpolice fleet managers use to procure cost effectiveand sustainable solutions for a given requirement,and ensure the standardisation of terms andconditions across all UK forces.

Fleet managers tool kitContract Value per annum

1. National Vehicle Purchase Framework VSP7805.................................£90m

2. Emergency Warning Equipment...............£1.5m3. Disposal Framework..................................£10m4. Supply of Vehicle Glass................................£1m5. Bespoke Vehicle Cost and

Benchmarking Data..................................£125k6. Oils and Lubricants Contract ....................£700k7. Vehicle Livery Contract.............................£350k8. Supply & Supply and Fit of Tyres................£8m9. Supply of Fuel Cards.................................£80m

Toolkit contracts and frameworksThe Home Office Fleet Procurement Unit,

together with the NAPFM, provides and delivers acentralised procurement service to police and other

Collaborating to provide a sustainablefleet solution in the face of spending cutsThe UK police service, operating over 45,000 vehicles across all the forces in the country, has for many years had a

strategy of using national contracts and frameworks put in place by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA)

and its pre-cursor organisations to procure using nationally agreed centralised contracts to promote aggregation of

demand and leverage the best value for money from this spend. National contracts have also been used to promote the

move towards standardisation; an area that needs to improve as highlighted in a report by the National Audit Office

(NAO) on police procurement.

Words: Chris Malkin, Fleet & Transport Manager, Lancashire Constabulary, also Chair NAPFM Procurement Committee & Paul Murphy MCIPS, Police Fleet Procurement Category Manager, Commercial Directorate, Collaborative Police Procurement Programme, Home Office.

(From L to R) Paul Murphy, Police Fleet Procurement CategoryManager; Marc Roffey, Senior Commercial Manager; and Phil Buakuma, Procurement and Contracts Officer, with their Central Government Procurement Award.

ESTVEHICLES | 53

blue light organisations across the whole of the UK.This national procurement collaboration producesan aggregated procurement approach that hasreduced procurement costs saving each force anaverage of £25,000 per annum; a total saving ofabout £1.2m per year.

The letting of these national contracts hasgenerated annual savings of £26m on vehicleprocurement, including £2.4m on vehicle parts,£1.435m on replacement glass, £25,000 onlubricants, £150,000 on emergency warningequipment and £5m on tyres, when measuredagainst retail prices. However, by working inconjunction with ACPO Procurement, NAPFMand its Home Office Collaborative Procurementcolleagues can build upon this success.

Police Vehicle Purchase FrameworkVSP7805

This vehicle purchase framework hasstandardised the number of vehicles types requiredto 18 role categories, resulting in 25 differentsuppliers being signed up to provide vehicles andspare parts. However, for the key high volumecategories of response and general patrol car, amaximum of only four suppliers have been agreedfor each of these categories. This has aggregateddemand across all forces and produced cost savingsfrom standardisation and volume-related discounts.

The Framework was let on 5 October 2010 forfour years and represents approximately £90m ofspend across forces on new vehicle purchases ayear. The Government has mandated the use of thisFramework (VSP7805) for all police vehiclepurchases and this came into effect on 4 March2011. This mandation is an endorsement of thevalue for money and contribution that goodprocurement can make to the police budget. Inrecognition of the work involved and savingsachieved, in 2010 the Central GovernmentProcurement Award was given to the NPIA fleetteam for its joint work in delivering the frameworkin 2010 with the NAPFM.

Some key highlights of the Vehicle Frameworkare: eight regional collaborations formed (toaggregate demand); further competitions havesaved money compared to Framework prices;longer vehicle life cycle as capital expenditurebudgets are reduced, supported by better warrantyprovision; most forces are reducing the permanentfleet size; and turnkey (ready to roll fully converted)cars offered for the first time.

Central to cost effective and sustainable policefleets is the procurement and management of thewhole-life cost of the vehicles and fleet expenditure.The toolkit of contracts provides a cradle to graveroute to procure and dispose of fleet assets, butNAPFM members provide the expertise to managethe costs. Typically a vehicle will cost three times as

much in fuel, maintenance, repair and use of tyreand glass replacement than it will cost to buy. Thismeans that the management and assessment ofwhole-life cost scenarios at purchase is vital toensure we achieve the best value over a typicalvehicle life. This cost-based assessment must bedone while ensuring the vehicle is fit for purposeand can be used in the role for which it is intendedsafely and with minimal downtime.

Government policy ImplicationsMore recently the frameworks have been

broadened to include other emergency servicessuch as fire and rescue, and ambulance services.While some of the frameworks have beendeveloped with the Government ProcurementService, they are open to all areas of government.This is in line with the Government’s demands forwider pan-government procurement and theadoption of each individual framework to cover theentire government vehicle fleet. The recentlyawarded tyre Framework was awarded as a result ofcollaboration between GPS (formerly Office ofGovernment Commerce) with NAPFM and theHome Office. By using a new methodology thetender process was able to satisfy the desire for onegovernment tyre contract while still providing aunique police specific category.

New initiativesThe focus on whole-life cost has highlighted the

need to monitor and optimise fuel use across thepolice fleet as a whole. We have been able to do thisby deciding that diesel would be the default fuelchoice and greater use of in car technology, iemobile data etc, to reduce the need to return tobase.

While there has been a national contract in placefor vehicle disposals for some time, the use ofrecycled spares is a new initiative formed as part ofthe recently issued Disposal Framework. This hasalready saved police fleets nearly a million poundsin its first year of operation. This process alsoreduces downtime as often the parts can be fittedwith no additional painting, livery or trim to fit.This reinforces the need for having a small numberof standard vehicles that make up the majority ofthe police fleet.

A knock on effect of these new initiatives hasbeen the contribution to the ‘greening’ of the UKpolice fleet. Using diesel has produced a rise in fueleconomy and so a considerable reduction in thecarbon footprint of the fleet. The use of recycledparts has reduced the need for new parts to beproduced and saved energy in the reduction ofreprocessing of old parts for scrap or re-use.

The futureSo where do police fleet managers go from here?

We are looking at new vehicle technology.

The increased use of in-vehicle technology,including telematics to communicate from car tobase and to provide vehicle use and operationaldata, is a potential gateway to future efficiencies.NAPFM and ACPO, assisted by the Home OfficeCAST team, are working on a system of standardvehicle architecture, which could lead in future totechnological based savings, while protecting thesecurity of expensive assets.

New vehicle technology such as electric andhybrid vehicles, together with developments inengine design and performance, could lead to evenmore improved life cost models as thesetechnologies mature, hopefully offsetting the cost offuel price increases.

The development of dual role vehicles hasallowed some police fleets to downsize the overallnumber of vehicles that they run and this in itselfhas had cost savings and allowed the progresstowards the cost saving targets for the police beingachieved year on year.

The newly stated target of 80 percent ofprocurement to be from centralised deals issomething that police fleets achieved years ago. Thebenefits of collaboration and standardisation arealready part of the culture worked to by fleetmanagers represented by NAPFM.

SummaryPolice fleet managers are already increasing cost

effectiveness while maintaining highly responsiveand well managed fleets across all forces, regardlessof their own operational needs and priorities. Theyhave done this in an ever-challenging environmentand against a backdrop of political changes, with atightening of funding. The fact we have achievedthis is testament to the hard work and collaborativeeffort from all concerned.

NAPFM and its members continue to developand seek innovative fleet solutions through qualityperformance management, best value, and nationalprocurement collaboration with its colleagues andpartners in the other emergency services. Onlythrough constant re-evaluation and challengingprevious decisions can we continue to deliver anemergency response fleet that is truly worldleading.

The newly appointed chair of NAPFM, Dennis Ord (Fleet Manager at Sussex Police),summarised the commitment and approach whenhe said, “I have taken on this role at a time of greatchange and almost certain opportunities forconsolidation within police and blue light fleets.Balancing reducing budgets against increasingoperational demand is not new to police fleetmanagers. However, I am confident that with therange of skills and experience within NAPFM andits partners, we can rise to the task of delivering acost effective, sustainable and fit for purpose fleetwe can be proud of.”www.napfmevent.org.uk

ESTVEHICLES | 55

The SAR service will be delivered by experiencedcrews with world-class skills, trained, qualified andcertified to coordinate and execute SAR operations.Bristow Helicopters’ fleet of Sikorsky S-92s andAgustaWestland AW189s are equipped with moreadvanced technologies than the aging SeaKings,including night vision, mission management andincreased on-board medical capabilities.

Strategically located basesCrews will operate from 10 bases across the UK,

strategically located near areas of high SARincident rates. New facilities will be established atInverness, Manston, Prestwick, Caernarfon,Humberside, Newquay and St Athan. Existingfacilities at Lee-on-Solent and Sumburgh willcontinue to be used, and the base at Stornoway willbe refurbished.

Mike Imlach, Managing Director of BristowHelicopters Ltd, said, “In designing our search andrescue service, we started with a clean sheet. Adetailed analysis of the historical data allowed us toselect bases and helicopters specifically matched tothe rescue requirements in the differentgeographical areas. This will allow our crews torespond more quickly.

New helicopters“We will introduce new helicopters that will

deliver unprecedented levels and quality of SARcoverage across the country.

“We know the responsibilities that go withproviding this service and we are committed toworking in full partnership with the Maritime andCoastguard Agency and others to ensure a smoothtransition process and the long-term continueddelivery of a world class SAR operation in the UK.

“A huge part of this will involve engaging withnational and local agencies across the country,

including the coastguard, police, fire and rescueservice, mountain rescue teams and voluntarycommunity groups involved in the delivery ofsearch and rescue. We are keen to talk to theseorganisations and will of course be happy toinclude them in our training exercises whereappropriate, so that together we can be fullyprepared to deliver this vital service.”

350 new jobs createdBristow Helicopters Ltd will create approximately

350 new jobs to support the contract across the UK.A transition agreement is in place between BristowHelicopters and the Ministry of Defence, whichwill safeguard continuity of service, give militarypersonnel the opportunity to transfer to the newservice and ensure existing expertise and local SARknowledge is not lost.

Both commercial and ex-military personnel willgo through a rigorous in-house training processbefore beginning operation of the contract. Crewsand engineers will be trained at the BristowAcademy in Gloucester, the simulator and trainingpool in Aberdeen and on site mission training willbe carried out from each base. Dedicated trainingbases for the S-92 and AW189 will be set up inStornoway and Inverness respectively.

Bristow Helicopters began providing search andrescue services in the UK in 1971 when Whirlwindhelicopters were replaced by Bristow S55helicopters at RAF Manston, in Kent. Thecompany then delivered SAR services through theMaritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) fromfour bases: Stornoway, Sumburgh, Lee-on-Solentand Portland, until 2007. In 2012 the company wasawarded the UK Gap SAR contract for NorthernScotland and, working in partnership with theMCA, will operate four S-92 helicopters fromSumburgh and Stornoway, starting this summer.

New aircraft and technologyIn the UK alone Bristow Helicopters Ltd has

flown more than 44,000 SAR operational hours andconducted over 15,000 SAR missions, during whichmore than 7000 people have been rescued by thecompany’s crews and helicopters. In that timeBristow Helicopters’ crews have won numerousawards for bravery. The company has led theindustry in introducing new aircraft types andtechnology to the civil market. SAR equipment ithas developed has become the industry standard,resulting in Bristow Helicopters Ltd beingrecognised with the Queen’s Award for Innovationfor its technical developments.www.bristowsar.com

Bristow Helicopters to providesearch and rescue service in the UKBristow Helicopters has been awarded the contract to deliver the UK search and rescue (SAR) service by the

Department for Transport. The company, founded in the UK in 1955 by Alan Bristow OBE, has a 36-year history of

providing UK search and rescue services and will take over the running of the service from April 2015 through to 2026.

Bristow Helicopters’ fleet of Sikorsky S-92s and AgustaWestland AW189s are equipped with more advanced technologies than the aging SeaKings.

In the UK alone Bristow Helicopters Ltd has flown more than 44,000 SAR operational hours and conducted over 15,000 SAR missions.

56 | ESTCOMPANY PROFILE

Working with a nationwide network of trustedinstallation partners, the comprehensive,competitively priced service is designed to offer anattractive alternative to customers who currentlypurchase specialty vehicles directly from majorvehicle manufacturers.

Built to your specificationsWith the full conversion service from Premier

Hazard, customers aren’t limited to the smallselection of prescribed vehicle packages offered bythe big manufacturers. The company provides acompletely bespoke service, and customers canchoose from a full range of vehicle hazard warningsolutions, picking the right combination of lightbars, directional lamps, sirens, speakers andcameras for their individual needs.

“Premier Hazardcustomers benefit frompersonalised, reliable,

dependable vehicles thatare exactly suited for

their purpose.”

Barrie Driscoll, General Manager of PremierHazard, said, “Fleet Managers and specialist ‘endusers’ come to us because they cannot compromiseon essential quality standards, certification or ‘valuefor money’ constraints. Performance considerations

and consistency of quality expectations by servingofficers are critical. Taking an ‘off the shelf’ one sizefits all option is rarely the solution.

“We recognise that organisations all havedifferent needs – even when they work in the sameindustry, which is why our customers can createvehicles that are completely tailored to theirindividual needs, budgets and requirements.”

If required, Premier Hazard’s team ofexperienced advisors can also offer expert advice onthe right equipment for individual requirements.The results are vehicles that are tailor-made fortheir purpose, with no unnecessary features orwasted options.

Cost benefitsOne of the biggest misconceptions among

customers is that choosing to buy a package fromone of the major vehicle manufacturers will workout cheaper, says Premier. In reality, the companysays, even when customers can find such a ‘cheaperpackage’ that seems to suit their requirements, itcan prove more expensive in the long run. BarrieDriscoll explains, “Often, buying a stock vehicleand then using our cost-effective full customisationservice can be cheaper than packages offered by themain vehicle manufacturers. Using only highquality components, Premier Hazard customersbenefit from personalised, reliable, dependablevehicles that are exactly suited for their purpose.

Premier Hazard: for a completevehicle conversion serviceAs a leading provider of vehicle hazard warning and camera equipment for emergency service, commercial and industrial

use in the UK, Premier Hazard has been serving customers worldwide for over 30 years. In addition to the manufacture

and supply of high-quality components, the company also offers a complete vehicle conversion service for a full range of

both blue and amber light vehicles.

Defender LED Lightbar.

Flush Mount STC controller

Flush Mount XT3 Blue LED

ESTCOMPANY PROFILE | 57

“Customers benefit fromover 30 years’ experienceand for added peace ofmind, a comprehensivefive-year guarantee isalso available on all

workmanship andequipment.”

“Where the major manufacturers do offer acheaper option, this can still be ‘mistaken’ economy,when lifetime costs like servicing, maintenance andrepairs are taken into account.”

A versatile responsive, serviceWith an unrivalled range of vehicle hazard

warning components available and in stock at anytime, Premier Hazard can convert vehicles for anypurpose, from emergency service and lawenforcement, to a full range of commercialapplications.

The conversion service is designed to be efficient,as Jason Wingfield, of Manchester-based conversionpartner AJ Electric Services, said, “Because PremierHazard products are manufactured in the UK, allthe parts are available on short notice, which meansthat we can turn around conversion projects really

quickly. Our customers benefit from a responsiveservice, quality components and great support, aswell as a five-year warranty.”

High quality work, guaranteedHand-crafted to the highest standards, Premier

Hazard products are trusted by a huge number ofemergency service, law enforcement and

commercial customers worldwide. Customersbenefit from over 30 years’ experience and foradded peace of mind, a comprehensive five-yearguarantee is also available on all workmanship and equipment.

Supporting UK businessBy choosing the Premier Hazard conversion

service, customers are choosing to support a rangeof independent, local businesses across the UK.

Working in partnership with a highly skillednationwide network of installers, all conversionwork is carried out by experienced, highly trainedbody workers. Martin Clohisey, of Bedfordshire-based EVO Ltd, explains, “We’ve been convertingblue and amber vehicles alongside Premier Hazardfor over 12 years now. Customers can benefit fromour years of experience, and can expect first-classworkmanship, excellent aftersales support, andreliable, industry-leading products.”

Premier Hazard manufactures the majority of itsexpansive range in the UK and, wherever possible,sources the materials used in the construction of itsproducts from UK companies.

The next stepsFor further information on Premier Hazard’s full

vehicle conversion service, or any of its vehiclehazard warning solutions, get in touch on+44(0)113 2391111.http://premierhazard.co.uk

Midimax LED Lightbar.

Flush Mount XT3 Blue LED.

Often ICU vehicles have ended up being toocomplex, needing ongoing operator training andexpensive support and are therefore under-utilised.However, the Bence solution for the new ClevelandICU changed all that. WH Bence, as the maincontractor for the project, provided coach buildingexpertise and worked in close cooperation withRedFoot, who supplied the technology. The twocompanies worked together with Vector Command,who provided the command software to integratethe whole process from the start.

‘Real time’ operationThe completed vehicle meets all the functional

requirements expected, such as a dedicated controlcentre, a conferencing facility and a command area.With Bence’s know-how the ICU is powered by anefficient generator built into a bespokesoundproofed locker. CFB staff on board work inan environment uninterrupted by the noise andvibrations of the power generator. However thebrigade’s ultimate vision was for the vehicle tooperate in ‘real time’.

Normally the ICU arrives after initial operationalassets have been at the scene of an incident for awhile; it then begins an administrative exercise tobuild a picture of risks, decisions, resources andpersonnel accountability. Through the technologyembedded on the Cleveland ICU, all the incidentinformation accumulated is ‘pulled in’ on arrivalfrom mobile tablet PCs being issued to all frontline appliances. This is done seamlessly as soon asthe ICU is within Wi-Fi range. The vehicle createsa secure Wi-Fi bubble for authorised access, whichcan be extended over significant distances. It canfeed video from any source to any screen or tablet;data from anywhere to anywhere; interface withHQ or others via SIP phone or radio or videoconferencing.

Improved interoperabilityThe information on the Incident Command

System is networked to any brigade PC that has theappropriate level of access. This has opened upopportunities to share the real time commonoperating picture at all levels of command,improving interoperability and inter-agency datasharing. This is achieved in an uncomplicated,intuitive way that leaves operators free toconcentrate on the incident rather than on the technology.

Step on board the Cleveland ICU and the firstthing you see is the incident. Large touch screensdominate the internal command area allowing thecommander and staff to display any aspect of the

incident at the touch of a finger. Working withVector Command means intuitive handling of theincident, with every action logged automatically.Meanwhile, the external briefing area features alarge screen that can be operated from inside orout.

“The ICU also brings withit an improvement in

resilience, cutting acrosscommunications networks

and the fire controlfunction.”

Resilient power managementOn-board the vehicle, new resilient power

management systems coupled with the silentRedFoot PCs and systems deliver a much quieterworking environment with a significantly extendedoperating span when working on batteries alone. Bysupplying new high capacity satellite bandwidth,there is always sufficient capacity for all of thesystems.

The simplified operation means that the training

cost and requirement is hugely reduced; crews canoperate the vehicle intuitively (a bit like using a bigiPad); therefore the vehicle gets used morefrequently and effectively. The combinedBence/RedFoot support is provided through onecontact number regardless of the problem; and realvalue for money (based on average cost perincident) is achieved and delivered.

Secondary Fire Control RoomThe ICU also brings with it an improvement in

resilience, cutting across communications networksand the fire control function. In the future, the ICUwill have the capability to become a ‘SecondaryFire Control Room’ and WH Bence, RedFoot andVector Command have worked effectively with thebrigade in order to make that vision a reality.

Simple yet effectiveMick Picknett, Head of Resilience at Cleveland

Fire, says, “People should not be fooled intothinking that complexity equals effectiveness orcleverness. Having an ICU that delivers every pieceof communication and information you couldwant, exactly where you want it, but in a way thatnormal fire personnel can understand and workwith – now that really is effective. We use thisvehicle day in and day out already.”www.whbence.co.uk

ESTVEHICLES | 59

Bence supplies new concept ICU toCleveland Fire BrigadeThe Incident Command Unit supplied by WH Bence to Cleveland Fire Brigade (CFB) employs a new concept.

The brigade’s remit to Bence was to create an Incident Command Unit (ICU) that took advantage of the latest

technology to provide genuine value to managing an incident, while ensuring that the internal space and layout could be

multi-functional. CFB required meeting room facilities, communications stations and the ability to create closed areas for

security briefings.

60 | ESTVEHICLES

Initially set up to respond to incidents involvingacetylene gas cylinders, fire and rescue serviceshave quickly recognised the benefits of calling uponthe QinetiQ team to deliver a multitude of effectson the fireground to protect lives, infrastructureand the environment.

“QinetiQ is now lookingto extend the service to

deploy ROV andoperators in support of

all agencies facinghazards that put people

and infrastructure at risk.”

In response to hazardous incidents, thecommander is able to significantly enhance theability to deal with the situation quickly and safelyby calling in the GHOST™ team, which hasrecently achieved the milestone of 50 call-outs andis looking to expand its operations to deliver moresupport and save lives.

The team responds to incidents over much of

central and southern UK, using ROVs to accessunsafe or restrictive areas, provide imagery intocommand vehicles and deliver and direct chargedfire hoses earlier than could otherwise be donesafely. At a recent incident in support of Essex Fireand Rescue Service, the QinetiQ team was able togain access to and suppress a fire in a container of

fireworks, making the fireground safe and reducingthe disruption to the local community, whileremoving the risk to frontline firefighters.

Independent command vehicleIn addition to the Remotely Operated Vehicles,

the QinetiQ team delivers a fully independentcommand vehicle, capable of integrating seamlesslyinto the command structure and adding value tothe incident commander, without drawing onvaluable resource. Based on a DIMS vehicle withcovert blue lights and a suite of command and

Use of ROVs in support ofhazardous operationsQinetiQ has been providing a 24/7 service to UK emergency services – GHOST™ (the Gas Hazardous Operations

Support Team) – since 2007. The QinetiQ team provides specialist Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) that deliver a

range of capabilities to support the commander dealing with hazardous operations.

GHOST™ capabilitiesfor the commander• Remote situational awareness • Secure communications• Infra-Red and thermal imaging cameras• Microphone and speakers for two-way

communications• Gas sensor• Structural inspection of buildings• Rescue teams• Forced access and obstacle removal• Investigating status of hazardous materials• Search and rescue operations in collapsed

structures including casualty evacuation• Remote crime scene assessment.BISON™ QinetiQ’s Remotely Operated Vehicle cooling an acetylene cylinder in a vehicle having gained forced access. QinetiQ’s TALON® provides the

commander with real-time video imagery.

TALON® Remotely Operated Vehicle providing the incident commander with live video images of a hazardous area.

ESTVEHICLES | 61

communications equipment, the vehicle allows theQinetiQ team to control the ROV, while recordingand streaming video to the commander. Therecording of on-site data is made available forforensic analysis. Wireless and cable Local AreaNetwork (LAN) capability ensures that the rightinformation gets to the right decision makers. Liveaccess to the internet ensures that the QinetiQ teamarrives with the most up to date information.

QinetiQ delivers a 24/7 Remotely OperatedVehicle capability in support of the agenciesresponding to hazardous incidents. The QinetiQGHOST™ team mobilises highly trained scientistsand engineers with a wealth of experience ofoperating within the emergency services’ commandstructure.

The company offers remote situational awareness,fire suppression, cooling, specialist sensors andthermal imagery capabilities to tacticalcommanders therefore reducing the risk to the livesof the public and first responders, reducingdisruption to critical infrastructure, and reducingnegative impact on the environment. This has beendemonstrated on over 50 successful call outs with11 different fire and rescue services.

QinetiQ is now looking to extend the service todeploy ROV and operators in support of allagencies facing hazards that put people andinfrastructure at risk.www.QinetiQ.com

GHOST™ capabilitiesfor HAZOPS• Remote shutting off of flaming acetylene

cylinders• Hazard cooling, wetting tests and fire

suppression• Remotely deploy CBRN sensors into a hot

zone and return data• Taking radiation level readings at nuclear

incidents• Can be fully decontaminated• Extended deployment on task in hostile

environment.

Black Max™ Remotely Operated Vehicle forcing entry into the containerof fireworks before delivering a charged water hose to suppress thefire, all from a distance of 200m from the QinetiQ operator.

The QinetiQ GHOST™ Command Vehicle.

Emergency services fleet managers looking toimprove vehicle efficiency and safety will benefitfrom a novel performance monitoring systemoffered by Ferno, a leading manufacturer ofmedical equipment to the emergency services.

ACETECH is a fully integrated vehicleperformance monitoring and control system forambulances and other emergency responsevehicles, which provides on-board intelligence toimprove vehicle efficiency and safety, whilereducing operating and fuel costs.

Jon Ellis, Managing Director at Ferno, said,“ACETECH’s technology is a natural fit for ourproduct line. It’s the only fully integrated efficiencyoptimisation solution. The savings in fuel costsalone are considerable. But when combined withincreased personnel productivity, the return oninvestment for fleet owners is significant. We’redelighted to offer this industry-first technology toour customers.”

Vehicle electronicsThe ACETECH system is the first of its kind for

UK emergency vehicles and inter-connects four keymodules that offer customised monitoring andcontrol of all vehicle electronics – driving, driverrestraint systems, GPS-based monitoring andcontrol of fleet vehicle assets in the field. It alsointegrates Radio Frequency Identification-basedtracking and security for all vehicle equipmentassets as well as ECO-Run monitoring and controlof fuel consumption idling. The system is availablefor new vehicle builds and can be easily retrofittedonto older vehicles.

The full ACETECH system provides constant,real-time, actionable information on a wide rangeof data points, including: vehicle status andlocation; equipment location; driving behaviourwith event status and duration; occupant restraintstatus; engine status; and fuel consumption. Usingthis data as a whole allows emergency fleetmanagers to take full control of asset placement in the field, increase emergency vehicle driver and occupant safety, and reduce operational andfuel costs.www.ferno.co.uk

Performance monitoringtechnology drives up vehicleefficiency and safety

DMS technologies has a long history of supplyingspecialist vehicle manufacturers and converterswith auxiliary electrical solutions. ‘Blue light’customers expect a very high level of reliabilityfrom their power systems, and DMS technologies’background in the highly demanding military andindustrial markets enables the company to providestrong technical support when working withconverters and operators. DMS is able to offer a fulldesign and supply service for projects, from initialconcept through to full implementation.

As well as being the sole UK importer anddistributor of the superior Lifeline™ range ofbatteries, DMS technologies also supplies batteryranges from Enersys in addition to its own range ofbatteries.

The Red Flash™ range of engine-start portablepowerpacks is used by professional vehicle recoveryorganisations and fleet operators across Europe.

DMS technologies also designs and manufacturesbespoke battery systems for customers across abroad market spectrum covering defence, generalindustrial applications, automotive, rail, marineand telecoms.

The company is able to offer a full design andsupply service for projects, from initial conceptthrough to full implementation. Its capabilities inbattery technology encompass lead acid, lithiumvariants, NiMH and NiCd.

Design and supply serviceEstablished in 1986, DMS technologies is an

ISO9001-2008 accredited company and operatesfrom its manufacturing facility in Romsey,Hampshire.www.dmstech.co.uk

Auxiliary electrical solutions

Jon Ellis, Managing Director at Ferno.

HOT NEWS – New WH Bence Fire ApplianceTo be launched at the Chief Fire Officers Association

TOG Conference and Exhibition on 15th – 16th May 2013

For further information visit our website

www.whbence.co.uk

ESTVEHICLES | 63

Since North Fire plctook command ofUK sales and serviceof Metz Aerials, itsstock has risen vastlythroughout the UKand, following arecent UKdemonstration tour,North Fire and Metzare now forecastingsignificant increases in new unit deliveriesthroughout the next few years.

“Our fire and rescue services are more focused onwhole-life costs and functionality than ever beforein the UK,” said Oliver North, Managing Director,North Fire plc. “A modern aerial appliance is somuch more than just a water tower nowadays, andwith such a large capital outlay, it makes morefinancial sense for a service to use an aerialappliance for so much more than only providingwater from height. Brigades are now contemplatinga mixture of turntable ladders (TLs) to ALPs,giving the region far more versatility and flexibilityin supplying the right tool for the right job and wegenuinely feel that the Metz range is betterequipped than any other on the market to achievethose very objectives.”

Articulated turntable ladder launchJune 2013 will see the launch of a revolutionary

new turntable ladder, which is being touted byaerial appliance experts and enthusiasts asrevolutionary. The new technology, which hasundergone a rigid patenting process, will addcountless new benefits and features to any versionof an articulated turntable ladder on the globalmarket. Michael Kristeller, Managing Director atMetz, said, “The new articulated TL can do somuch more than any turntable ladder we’ve seenon the market previously. Metz is the most famous

aerial brand in theworld and we feelsuch innovationsshould rightly comefrom us, and we’reextremely proud ofwhat we haveachieved. We willshowcase our newarticulated units forfire and rescue

services coming from all over the world inGermany throughout the summer before it arrivesin England for its formal UK launch at TheEmergency Services Show 2013 in Birmingham.”

Metz ALPsThe Metz ‘B32’ ALP was so well received

throughout the recent North Fire-Metz UK demotour that the unit had to be kept at North Fire HQin Yorkshire for a further four weeks to allow forcontinued demonstrations. Senior AerialDemonstration Engineer Frank Reinhard said,“We carry out demos continually all over the worldand we supply new appliances to just about everycountry I can think of. It is a standard reaction inany region now for us to see that the B32 canperform and achieve so much more than any otherbrand in the ALP field.

“Our operation is simple yet precise, our outreachis further than other brands like-for-like and ourbodywork and styling is completely unrivalled. Inthe UK though, it seems to come as a surprisewhen the aerial operators witness just how muchthe bar has been raised in the time we weren’t asactive in the UK market. I’m confident that ifbrigades want the best possible ALP for theirservice with the best whole-life cost, then the MetzB32 will improve any aerial fleet throughout theUK over the current standard quite drastically.”www.north-fire.com

Metz Aerials’ UK tourhighlights ‘Best in Class’

Babcock apprentice Matt Privet has been awardedthe coveted BMW Service Apprentice of the Yearaward. This achievement is particularly significantas he was in competition with apprentices fromacross the UK BMW network, comprising over 150dealerships and other organisations.

Matt is one of three apprentices within Babcock’sMobile Assets business to have successfullycompleted the three-year BMW apprenticeship.Matt, along with Daniel Moore and Tom Daykin,are now in their final ‘Improver’ year and are basedfull time at the Mobile Asset’s Park Royal controlcentre, working on the Metropolitan Police fleetmanagement contract.

Huge commitmentPaul Wilkins, Babcock’s Emergency & Critical

Services Director for its Mobile Assets business,said, “The business is very proud of the successachieved by our apprentices. The BMWapprenticeship is one of the most challenging andrigorous training programmes in the industry, andMatt, Dan and Tom have demonstrated a hugeamount of commitment and skills in graduating.We are delighted to welcome them back full timeinto the business, and look forward to see theircontinual development– we have great expectationsfor them.”www.babcockinternational.com

Babcock technician winsapprentice award

EMAS investsin emergencyresponsePatients needing an ambulance to deal with theiremergency will soon benefit from more frontlinestaff and vehicles being introduced by EastMidlands Ambulance Service (EMAS).

Over £2.8m is being spent to bring 140Emergency Care Assistants (ECAs) into the serviceby the end of the summer. EMAS has also madechanges to staffing in its two emergency operationscentres (control) in Lincoln and Nottingham;investing in more clinical assessors to deal with themany calls received that are not life-threatening.Two additional appointments have also been madeto the clinical assessment team.

Investment in staffing is backed by EMAS’ongoing spending of more than £1.2m in vehiclesduring 2012/13. By the end of April EMAS willhave replaced or upgraded 55 vehicles.

The service has invested in four new Polambsover the last year. Operational in city centres acrossthe region, Polambs allow police and ambulancestaff to respond to incidents together. They’re worth£54,000 each and were designed in response toincreasing numbers of alcohol-related incidents.

Further investmentOther fleet investments over the past 12 months

include 39 new ambulances, which were designedspecifically for EMAS as a result of staff andpatient feedback. They feature more than 40modifications to the manufacturer’s standardvehicle, including better external lighting and widerinteriors for treating patients.

In addition, EMAS has invested in: seven newfast-response cars; two ambulances to deal withpatients who have suffered falls and; three bariatricsupport vehicles for patients whose size means theycannot be transported by standard ambulance.www.emas.nhs.uk

64 | EST

The VF4 car, funded by the Leicester,Leicestershire and Rutland Road SafetyPartnership, has led to the creation of an immersiveeducation package aimed at the drivers oftomorrow – specifically 17-24 year olds. We hopethat by focusing on our future drivers that the livesneedlessly wasted in these tragic accidents can beavoided.

The VF4 is a regular Ford Focus ST with adifference – it is also a car crash simulator. Thisbeast is bristling with technology. Under the hood isa whole host of amps, sub woofers, hydraulic ramsand LCD DVD screens, creating the most realisticsimulator anywhere in the country.

Better understandingThe VF4 will demonstrate the full horror of a

road traffic collision and what can happen if youdrive too fast and irresponsibly. Hopefully afterexperiencing the VF4, young people will have abetter understanding of the risks associated withdriving or travelling in a vehicle that is beingdriven by a person who takes unnecessary risks.

A top-of-the-range sound system in the boot, fiveDVD screens inside the car and two in-car cameras,so the operator can monitor the car’s occupants, allhelp to make this experience as realistic as possible.

Feel the impactWhen you get inside the VF4, you watch a film

clip set around a group of teenage students waitingfor a lift to a party, but the journey ends intragedy…

Powerful hydraulics, connected to the car’ssuspension, will throw the occupants around,mimicking the forces felt in an accident. They feelthe impact of a road traffic collision, hear thesounds of the crash followed by an eerie silence andthen screams for help. Passengers leave the carhaving been thrown around, blasted with smoke

and shaken to the core. With any luck this will bethe closest that any of them ever get to an accident.

Watch Manager Paul Speight, who projectmanaged the commissioning of the car, explainedthat the programme will have lasting benefits andwill not be a gimmick. “While the car isundoubtedly the star of the show, it forms part of alarger educational package that we aim to roll outto every school in the Leicester, Leicestershire andRutland region,” he said. “In the next three years

we aim to speak to all Year 11 classes, to deliver theVF4 safety messages and help reduce the numberof young people killed and seriously injured on our roads.”

Interactive techniquesWe aim to engage with the next generation of

drivers using new, interactive techniques to link thewhole experience back to a presentation thateveryone will have to see as part of the programme.They are: the VF4 Car; driving simulator; andBatak (to test your reactions). This comprehensiveeducation package is constantly being refreshed sowe can target a range of young people and tailorthe VF4 to their different learning styles.

As well as young people in mainstream educationor employment, the project will also focus on youngoffenders, people not in education, employment ortraining.www.leicestershire-fire.gov.uk

High impact car crash simulatortargets young driversLeicestershire Fire and Rescue Service is committed to reducing the number of road deaths. Every week someone is

killed on our roads and a quarter of those are young drivers. We want to bring about a change in the way these drivers

approach road safety and to do this we needed something different, something new. The idea of the VF4 was born.

Words: Dan Cooper, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service.

ESTVEHICLES | 65

66 | ESTVEHICLES

Nozzle fuelsinvestmentinterest

Easter launch for lifeboat

After nearly two years of dedicated fundraising, thenew Hope Cove Lifeboat (HCLB) was launchedthis Easter, following its blessing by the Bishop ofPlymouth, the Right Reverend John Ford. Theboat replaces a much older version, which has beenused by the HCLB voluntary search and rescuecrew since it became an independent lifeboat inMay 2011.

There has been a lifeboat based in Hope Covesince 1878, but in 2010 government funding waswithdrawn and a decision had to be taken to eitherlose the service or to go it alone. The communitydecided overwhelmingly to support an independentlifeboat, despite the enormous task of raisingenough money to replace the old boat.

The boat, made by Ribcraft of Yeovil, has beencustom designed and complies fully with Maritimeand Coastguard Agency requirements. It is justover 6m long, can seat four crew and can carry fourcasualties. Driven by twin 90hp engines and fullyequipped with the latest in technological searchand rescue aids, the boat compares with the verybest of boats of similar size used by other rescueorganisations around the UK.

The lifeboat is crewed entirely by volunteers wholive and work around Hope Cove and Bigbury Bay.www.hopecovelifeboat.org

Bellshill-based FUELlink Systems is using anequity investment from UK Steel Enterprise(UKSE) to push ahead with innovativetechnologies. UKSE, the Tata Steel businesssupport subsidiary, has provided financial backingbased on the young company’s potential.

FUELlink provides fuelling equipment andmaintenance to local authorities as well astransport, logistics and emergency service operatorsacross the UK, including Shropshire Fire andRescue Service, Dumfries and Galloway Police andTayside Police. In addition, the company alsosupports Devon and Somerset Fire and RescueService under a maintenance contract.

Several customers have already committed tousing the firm’s bespoke nozzle system, whichguards against fuel theft, spillage and hazards withits non-drip technology. The nozzle attachessecurely to a dedicated fuel cap fitted to eachvehicle to ensure efficient re-fuelling without theworry of diesel loss and the resulting financial andsafety implications.www.fuellinksystems.com

Vauxhall Special Vehicles is well placed to answerthe unique challenges of today’s emergencyservices. The company works in partnership withUK police authorities and has even earned a‘trusted supplier status’ due to its outstandingcustomer service and comprehensive choice of carand van models with extensive up fit options.

All Vauxhall Special Vehicles are designed andpunishingly tested, to meet the stringent needs ofemergency services operators. With its ownproduction facility based at Millbrook (GeneralMotors’ proving ground test facility inBedfordshire), the company is able to offer a ‘onestop shop’ buying experience with the facilityhandling a wide range of options, all fitted on site.

Vauxhall supplies turnkey vehicle solutions – 100percent fit for service – for a rapid turnaround ofreplacement vehicles. The company’s suitablyliveried demonstrators (for assessment purposesunder operational conditions) and industry leading,in-house decommissioning service, gives it astanding that any other UK supplier would finddifficult to equal.

Award winning collaborationA crime-busting Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer has

won a challenge set down by the Association ofChief Police Officers (ACPO) to find a way ofincorporating future technology into a police car.The British-built Astra Sports Tourer features

everything officers could desire from a mobilepolice station, including three computers armedwith forensics and face-recognition software. High-quality cameras record activity outside (forexample, scanning suspect’s faces) and inside thevehicle. Ingeniously, the vehicle is also equippedwith software that predicts future crime hotspots. Asophisticated black box also collects data, includingspeed, location and miles per gallon. Keeping themeven more mobile, officers can dock Toughbooklaptops and rugged smartphones in the car, too. Infact, the Astra Sports Tourer exceeds directivesfrom the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Policeaiming for the police car to be the mobile office ofthe future; giving officers more time in the field tofight crime.

A British success storyAlongside its Special Vehicles site at Millbrook,

Vauxhall also has UK production facilities in bothLuton (Bedfordshire) and Ellesmere Port(Cheshire). Vauxhall is one of the UK’s biggestvehicle manufacturers and it’s estimated that about28,000 people in the UK are directly and indirectlyemployed as a result of the company’s activities. It’strue to say that, as well as answering the lion’s shareof the UK’s emergency service requirements,Vauxhall makes a huge contribution to the British economy.www.vauxhall.co.uk/fleet/special-vehicles

Special demands needspecial vehicles

Vauxhall Special Vehicles range.

ACPO Astra Sports Tourer.

ESTPROFILE | 67

Police Constable David Rathband knew first handwhat it was like to be injured in the line of duty andalso what little emergency financial help andsupport was available to those in his shoes and their families.

While PC Rathband was recovering from hisinjuries, sustained when he was shot by gunmanRaoul Moat in July 2010, he had the idea of startinga charity to provide emergency financial aid to helpanyone from the police, fire and rescue orambulance services who was injured in the line ofduty as he believed that none of them should be outof pocket financially should the worst happen.

The Blue Lamp Foundation was created inOctober 2010 with the goal of raising £1m to helpthose injured in the line of duty. To date the charityhas raised over £400,000 and although PC DavidRathband died last year, the Patrons and Trustees ofhis charity vowed to continue the work he startedand are taking the charity from strength to strength.

Grant for paramedicBurton-based Paramedic John Eames was the first

person to receive a grant from The Blue LampFoundation. John was injured in a road trafficcollision in 2011 after a Polish lorry driver crossedonto the wrong side of the road and crashed into hisambulance. John spent six months in hospital as aresult of his injuries but he was able to return homethanks to a £2500 grant from The Blue LampFoundation. The grant paid for modifications to bemade to his home so that he could continue hisrecovery in the comfort of familiar surroundings.

Charity ChampionsJohn is now back at work and is an active

fundraiser and Charity Champion for The BlueLamp Foundation. The charity relies on a networkof Charity Champions who are serving police, fireand rescue and ambulance personnel who actively

fundraise and raise awareness of the financialsupport available to any injured colleagues.

The Blue Lamp Foundation has also given grantsto four Met Police Officers who were injured inknife attacks last year. To make it easier for injuredemergency services personnel to claim, the charityhas simplified its grant application process. It hasalso recently extended what it can do to help injuredemergency service personnel and their families; andcan now not only provide financial assistance butcan support other UK based emergency serviceswelfare organisations to utilise their infrastructureand resources.

To celebrate this extension of scope the foundationwas delighted to donate £60,000 to refurbish threebedrooms to provide much needed support toinjured police officers in appropriate circumstances,in particular those with mobility problems and as

such may also require specialist bariatricequipment. A further £60,000 has also beenprovided to The Fire Fighters Charity to develop aMental and Emotional Well Being Programme forfirefighters in need of support.

The Blue Lamp Foundation doesn’t like to hear ofanyone from our emergency services being injuredin the line of duty but PC David Rathband’s lastinglegacy means that it is there for those that are.

There are vacancies for voluntary CharityChampions across the UK, anyone interested ingetting involved can apply via the website.Alternatively come along to meet the charity inperson at The Emergency Services Show 2013 at the Birmingham NEC from 25-26 September(Stand Z109).www.bluelamp-foundation.org

WRVS, as a national charity, can utilise itsvolunteers across Great Britain to help those inneed of support following a crisis. WRVS has 67 ‘hubs’ across the country meaning, following anincident, its volunteers will assist older people toreturn home and feel safe in a smooth and seamless way.

The charity has a long history of supportingpeople in a crisis. WRVS celebrates its 75thanniversary in May this year and since its foundingdays the charity has been supporting those in need;in the 1940s it was helping during an air raid, orproviding assistance to those who had lost theirhomes. Since then, WRVS has evolved to focusspecifically on supporting older people, but is stillon hand at incidents like floods and fires andprovides a 24/7/365 response service acrossEngland, Scotland and Wales.

Assistance at rest centresWRVS works with national, regional and local

government, the blue light services, utilitycompanies, transport organisations and the

Environment Agency to respond to emergenciesand incidents such as explosions, floods, fires ormajor accidents. In emergencies requiringevacuation, such as floods, bomb scares or fires, thecharity assists local authorities to set up rest centresproviding shelter, refreshments, registration andinformation.

After care supportMuch of the attention during a serious incident is

inevitably focused on the victims and those affectedduring the time of the incident, but just asimportant is how they cope afterwards. Care and

support after an incident is essential, particularlyfor older, vulnerable people, and WRVS isextremely well placed to deliver this service,particularly given its new hub structure.

Each local WRVS hub provides a wide range ofservices in the community, including goodneighbour schemes, community transport, mealsand books on wheels, lunch clubs and socialcentres, and so it makes sense to use these servicesto help, in particular, older people, recover afteremergencies large and small.

Partnering local authoritiesResilient communities are better placed to

respond and recover from major incidents. WRVSis working more and more with local authorities topartner them at the recovery stage of an incident oremergency and would like to develop more of thesepartnerships. Of course building up a community’sresilience is also important and WRVS, through its40,000 volunteers across the country, helps buildstronger communities.www.wrvs.org.uk

Supporting our emergency services heroes

WRVS: Support in a crisis

Paramedic John Eames well on the road to recovery after a Blue Lamp Foundation grant. John is now a Charity Champion and active fundraiser.

TRELLCHEM® Super Gastight ChemicalProtective Suit – Ansellwww.ansell.com

The TRELLCHEM® Super Gastight Chemical Protective Suit fromAnsell has been tested to and fulfils the requirements of the ATEXDirective 94/9/EC for equipment to be used in potentially explosiveatmospheres. The garment’s material has been upgraded by adding con-ductive carbon black in one of the rubber layers, thereby achieving newantistatic properties. Trellchem Super is approved for use in Zone 0, 1,2 (gas)/20, 21, 22 (dust) and Group IIA, IIB, IIC, ie within environmentswith the highest explosive risk. It is available in both fully encapsulatingand non-encapsulating design and can be fitted with boots or socks, avariety of gloves, airline pass-through, pockets, loops etc to fit each cus-tomer’s specific needs.

ARS Super Turbocut UV-32E saw – Sorbus Internationalwww.sorbus-intl.co.uk

The latest saw in the ARS range is the Super Turbocut UV-32E fromSorbus International. It is so called because the cutting edge has a specialtooth shape (UV) that helps increase cutting speed, making it even fasterto work with than its popular cousin the Turbocut. ARS pruning sawsfeature Impulse Hardened blades, which have a blade life up to threetimes longer than ordinary blades. Hard chrome plating provides rust-proofing, adding to the superior durability and the smooth surface isdesigned to prevent resin from sticking and accumulating on the blades.Each saw comes with its own safety sheath with belt clip and the PROversions offer a leg strap option.

Gas-Pro multi-gas detector – Crowconwww.crowcon.com

Crowcon’s Gas-Pro multi-gas detector is ideal for use in confinedspaces. Robust, reliable and simple to use with a bright, easy to readdisplay and long battery life, it means personnel entering confined spacescan focus on the task in hand, safe in the knowledge that their gasdetector is watching their back. Combining one or more sensors withpowerful audible and visual signals to warn when pre-set gas levels arereached, portable detectors can be carried or worn wherever they areneeded. In addition, a compact instrument is easily carried in a confinedspace, ensuring that pockets of high gas concentration are not missed.

HD Dome camera – Dallmeierwww.dallmeier.com

The DDF4820HDV-DN is a high definition (HD) network camera builtinto a vandal-resistant (IK10) dome enclosure. It provides real-time fullHD video (1080p/30) using the H.264 codec, currently, the mostadvanced standard for high-efficiency video compression, and supportsresolutions up to 3-megapixels. The camera is equipped with a fast (largemaximum aperture) and motor-driven P-Iris megapixel varifocal lens,which allows for the convenient adjustment/configuration of the zoom,focus and iris via the web browser. It can be conventionally supplied with12V DC or conveniently operated via power over ethernet, whichallows for an easy, quick and cost-effective cabling and commissioning.

Harrier LT LBS Bariatric Trolley – Fernowww.ferno.co.uk

Ferno has been named a key supplier of Pegasus Stretcher Trolleys andthe new Harrier LT LBS Bariatric Trolley (pictured) to the ScottishAmbulance Service. The Harrier LT LBS Bariatric Trolley is the only elec-tro-hydraulic trolley in the UK pre-hospital market that will lift a patientof 350kg. This minimises the effort needed for patient transport whileprotecting medical staff from any potential ergonomic problems. The Pegasus Stretcher Trolley is suitable for use on ramped or tail-liftvehicles, fully compliant with the ‘lock and load’ two-part vehicle locking system, and has standard drop down foot end for use with PTSvehicles, making it one of the most versatile patient transfer trolleys onthe market.

68 | ESTPRODUCTS

The latest must-have kit1

ESTPRODUCTS | 69

Invisible cycle helmet – Hövdingwww.hovding.com

Hövding, a Swedish invention, is a collar for cyclists, worn around theneck, which contains a folded up airbag that you’ll only see if you happento have an accident. The airbag is shaped like a hood, which oncedeployed surrounds and protects the bicyclist’s head. The triggermechanism is controlled by sensors, which pick up the abnormal move-ments of a cyclist in an accident. Hövding, which is covered by aremovable shell that you can change to match your outfit, is a practicalaccessory with a great looking yet subtle design, and could even saveyour life.

Magnum UST – Hi-Tec Sports UK Ltdwww.magnumboots.com

The Magnum UST (pictured), together with the Hi-Tec Viper, pushesthe extremes of technological advancement. The footwear is designedto be solid and robust, while remaining lightweight, comfortable andfunctional. Global footwear manufacturer Hi-Tec Sports UK Ltd, and itsuniform footwear brand Magnum, have recently announced theirbiggest ever tender win in – over the next four years, both brands willbe the official suppliers of training footwear to the British MoD. This isthe company’s first contract direct with the MoD and has resulted inboth products gaining a NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation)stock number. This will allow the company to sell the products to anyof the other 28 independent countries that are members of the NATOAlliance.

R1600 power generator – SDMO Energy Limitedwww.sdmo.co.uk

The R1600 is a 1450kVA, prime power (1200kW COP) portable gen-erating plant fitted into a 20ft (6m) ISO sized container. The set isdesigned to provide major back-up power for factories, hospitals andsimilar establishments that require continuous electricity. Fitted withwide access doors and a filtration system accessible from the outside,this mini-power station combines performance with ease of use andmaintenance. SDMO believes that the R1600 offers the best ratio ofcompactness to power, available in the current market.

CTF10M mobile lighting tower – Tower Light (UK) Limitedwww.towerlight.it

The Tower Light CTF10M mobile lighting tower combines energysaving LED, bright metal halide or traditional halogen lamps in acompact frame that enables an operator to safely illuminate an area atan economical cost. The tower features a 10m manually operated, gal-vanised mast, which can be rotated through 360° and offers a high windresistance. The unit is firmly stabilised via its four, height adjustable, out-riggers; with loading/unloading lifting points for both forklifts and cranes.It weighs only 450kg with closed dimensions of 1100 x 1100 x 2500mm– making it simple and easy to set-up and transport. In the UK andIreland the CTF10M can be purchased from Tower Light’s subsidiarycompany, Tower Light (UK) Limited, based in Milton Keynes.

Identicom 8 Series – Connexion2www.connexion2.com

Like the original 7 Series Identicom range, the new 8 Series from Con-nexion2 is styled as an identity badge for discreet wear and use, and hasbeen designed and manufactured entirely in the UK. The range’s two-way communication capability will provide the user with the addedbenefits of being able to use the device as a mobile phone – potentiallya way for employers to reduce costs through being able to dispensewith company phones for some sections of workers. A user can call aspecified number, trigger a text message (SMS) to a specified contactor activate a GPRS location upload to Mobile Workforce ManagementPlatform (MWMP). The ability to discreetly and safely raise Red Alertsis still via a large, easily located button on the rear of the device.

The latest must-have kit6

70 | ESTPRODUCTS

FLIR Systems, a world leader in portablethermal imaging, has introduced a newrange of uncooled radiometriccameras, designed specifically for firefighting. The new FLIR K-Seriesenhances the company’s establishedpresence in this sector by factoring incamera features developed for harshindustrial environments.

A typical example is the torch-style grip ofthis new model, which is ideal for single-handedoperation and, unlike a monocular or binocularthermal imaging camera, can be used when theoperator is moving. It provides a clear crisp imageat arms length while allowing good situationalawareness.

The FLIR K-Series is designed to meet thetoughest operating conditions. For example it willwithstand a drop of 2m onto a concrete floor. It isalso water resistant to IP67 and suitable foroperation in temperatures up to 85°C.

Easy to operateTwo models complete the K-Series: theFLIR K50 produces thermal images upto 320 x 240 pixels; and for those whodo not require this high image quality,the FLIR K40 has a 240 x 180 pixelsarray.

Both versions feature a bright 4indisplay and provide a choice of colour

palettes to suit the application. Control isvia three large buttons on top of the camera,which are easy to operate even when thefirefighter is wearing gloves.

The FLIR K-Series cameras not onlyprovide thermal images in total darknessbut are also able to ‘see’ through smoke,rain and fog. They are therefore ideal forhelping firefighters navigate through

smoke-filled buildings and for locatingvictims.

The camera’s ability to measure temperatureprovides the firefighter with an important sixth-

sense. For example the FLIR K-Series is able toshow if a fire is burning behind a wall. Suchinformation can be lifesaving as it warns theoperator not to risk a back draft by opening a dooror breaking a window.

Thermal profilingA quick thermal profile of the scene also

highlights areas that remain in danger of re-combustion and enables the operator to confirmwhen the fire has been successfully extinguished.

Although primarily designed for use at the sceneof a fire, the FLIR K-Series is also eminentlysuitable for use in any search and rescue situation.Thermal images can be stored in-camera and laterused to enhance a post-incident report.

In common with all FLIR portable thermalimaging cameras, every FLIR K-Series thermalimaging camera carries a two-year productwarranty that complements its 10-year detectorwarranty.www.flir.com

Lyon Equipment Ltd is one of the UK’s premierdistributors for work at height and technical roperescue products. Its stable of brands includes worldleaders like Petzl, Beal, Maillon Rapide, Ortlieb,Aquapac and Exped. The company’s products arewidely used by the UK’s emergency services, whichrely on high performance and high quality, backedup by exceptional levels of technical support.

Lyon’s range of specialist equipment brands inthis sector is growing and now includes Optimusand Katadyn. The inclusion of these famous brandsin Lyon Equipment’s Work and Rescue range is inresponse to requests for compact portable cookingand water systems for extended rescue operationsthat are as efficient and easy to use as the rest of thecompany’s technical rescue equipment.

Outdoor stovesOptimus has its origins in Sweden and has been

manufacturing outdoor stoves for more than acentury. The company’s Crux stove range providesan individual with a light weight, small volumecooking and boiling system that is flexible, durable,easy to use and require minimum training.

A more specialist product is the Optimus SoldierStove 09. This personal cooking system has been

developed for the Swedish Armed forces andbecame operational during 2010. It will also beused by EU’s rapid deployment force (NordicBattle Group 11).

Water purificationThe Swiss Katadyn company provides individual

water purification systems and products, with aglobal market share exceeding 50 percent. Thecompany has been developing water filters, chlorineand silver based sterilising agents, and mobiledesalinators for over 80 years. Numerousinternational relief organizations and special army units rely on Katadyn products for survivaland lifesaving.

The Katadyn Pocket is the flagship personalwater filter made for long lasting continuous useeven under extreme circumstances. Its heavy-dutyconstruction means it is the only water filter with a20-year warranty. The cleanable silver impregnated

0.2-micron ceramic filter element is effectiveagainst bacteria and protozoa and can effectivelyclean up to 50,000-litres of water, making it perfectfor team use. For occasional or emergencyoperations the Katadyn Mini is the lightest andmost compact filter on the market. Its small sizemakes it ideal for inclusion in personal welfare packs.

Freeze dried foodsTo complement both brands Lyon is also

distributing Trek’ N Eat freeze dried foods, which isthe third arm of the Katadyn group. Trek’ N Eatincludes the Peronin range of liquid food to whichvitamins and minerals have been added.

Technicians feeling hungry but with no possibilityof preparing a meal will find Peronin an idealoption. The powder consisting of medium chaintriglycerides is absorbed by the body at a rate of 96percent within about six minutes. Unlikeconventional foods, it does not first have to bebroken down in the stomach, but is assimilated directly.www.lyon.co.uk

Thermal imaging camera allowsexcellent situational awareness

Lyon Equipment welcomes new brands

The Katadyn Pocket personalwater filter.

The Katadyn Mini is the lightestand most compact filter on themarket.

Trek’ N Eat includes the Peronin range of liquid food.

The Optimus Crux stove.

ESTCLASSIFIEDS | 71

Self-Heating Nutritious Meals

MAKE IT EASY WITH

HOT PACK™

In 12 minutes, you can create a delicious hot meal, with Hot Pack Self Heating Meals,anywhere you need it. Everything is in the pack to produce a satisfying hot meal withoutusing any other equipment. Even cutlery and a dish are included!

Choose from seven great tasting, ready to eat recipes: Chicken Casserole, LancashireHot Pot, Chicken Dopiaza Curry, Sausages and Beans, Spicy Vegetable Rigatoni,Meatballs & Pasta and Vegetable Curry.

Make it easy. Enjoy a HOT PACK™ meal – anywhere!

Contact Canland UK Ltd, Wellington House, Lower Icknield WayLongwick, Bucks HP27 9RZ

Tel/Fax: 01844 344474 E.mail: info@hotpackmeals.co.ukWeb site: www.hotpackmeals.co.uk

Cold, wet and dehydration can reduce performance and impair safety. By fitting a ‘TeaMate’ water boiler,crews can make themselves a cup oftea, coffee or other hot beverage tokeep warm and hydrated, thereforemaximising concentration and keepingfatigue to a minimum.

WHISPAIRE LTD Email: info@whispaire.co.uk

Web: www.whispaire.co.uk T: + 44 (0)1794 523999 F: + 44 (0)1794 519151

VEHICLE MOUNTED BOILING WATER SYSTEM

• Compact commercial gradethroughout.

• Self contained fully automatic.

• 24v and 12v models available.

• Makes up to 9 mugs per filling.

KNEE & ELBOWProtection

� Comprehensive range to suit everyapplication

� Ergonomic design� Comfortable and secure fit� Reliable protection� Tough and hard wearing� Manufactured to the highest

standards from selected quality ma-terials

� CE marking throughout� NATO Stock No:

22c 8415-99-8873869

Gotec Trading LimitedBoulton RoadPin GreenStevenageHerts SG1 4QLTelephone 01438 740400Fax 01438 740005

Get all the latest news by signing up for the FREE EST E-newsletterwww.emergencyservicestimes.com

we urgently need to recruit for 999 work

Register for free entry nowThe Emergency Services Show 2013 provides a unique opportunity tosee, touch and discuss the latest technology, ideas and initiatives focusedon improving public safety and assisting all of the emergency services.All emergency and blue light workers are invited to visit. Entry for eitheror both show days is free of charge for all visitors, as is parking.

Register now at www.emergencyuk.com/est

72 | ESTPROFILE

NCI Bass Point was the first lookout to startwatchkeeping in November 1994 and other stationsquickly followed in Devon, Cornwall, East Anglia,Somerset, Essex, Dorset and the Tyne/Tees area.

NCI todayNCI is an entirely voluntary organisation set up

in 1994 to keep a visual safety watch around theUK coastline. Each station assists in the protectionand preservation of life at sea and along our shores.

Today 49 stations are operational around the coastand 90 percent of them have achieved DeclaredFacility Status (DFS) as part of the UK Search andRescue (SAR) Services, duly agreed by theMaritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). Theyare manned by some 2000 volunteers putting in atotal of over 220,000 hours of watchkeepingannually at no cost to the public purse.

“Sophisticated computersystems have vastly

improved safety at seabut there is no substitute

for a watchful pair of eyes.”

In 2012 alone, NCI volunteers were involved in286 reported incidents, 44 of which resulted inRNLI lifeboat rescues. They come from manydifferent walks of life and bring with them a widerange of experience. Some 17 percent are women;many, but by no means all, are retired and anumber have served in the armed forces oremergency services.

What do watchkeepers do?Watchkeepers must be ready for anything, from

contacting HM Coastguard in an emergency toinforming a local farmer that a sheep is stuck on aledge. Fishermen and yachtsmen frequentlytelephone the lookout for local weather conditionsbefore setting out from the safety of the harbour.Keeping watch on potentially vulnerable craft andpeople such as kayakers, surfboarders, small craft,open boats, divers, swimmers and anglers is all partof a watchkeeper’s responsibility. Walkers andclimbers often call in for advice before tacklinghazardous coastal paths and cliffs. Dolphin, sealand shark sightings are also reported to theappropriate interested parties.

Sophisticated computer systems have vastlyimproved safety at sea but there is no substitute fora watchful pair of eyes. Accidents do happen and acomputer cannot spot a distress flare, an overturneddinghy or a yachtsman or fishing vessel with enginefailure.

Well equipped stationsEach lookout is manned during daylight hours

up to 365 days a year. Stations are equipped withtelescopes, radar, telephone and weatherinstruments as well as up to date charts. Theyprovide both eyes and ears along the coast,monitoring Channel 16 – the VHF distress channel– listening out in poor visibility for cries of helpfrom marine or aircraft while keeping a detailed log

and remaining in close touch with HM Coastguard.A number of lookouts have their own weather

station, which can be accessed by mariners needingdetailed information about local weather conditionsbefore they set sail.

The NCI website (www.nci.org.uk) also provides alot of useful information for mariners and walkersregarding lookout stations and the services they canoffer.

TrainingNo prior experience is necessary to become a

watchkeeper. Full training is provided by the NCI,much of which takes place on a ‘learning by doing’hands-on basis alongside experiencedwatchkeepers. At the same time, training sessionsare also provided to cover detailed skills such aschart work, radio transmission procedure and radarsurveillance.

How is NCI Funded?NCI is a registered charity, managed by a Board

of Trustees with a constitution agreed by theCharities Commission. Fundraising relies heavilyupon the good will of local people combined withthe efforts of watchkeepers and their friends, withoccasional assistance from outside sourcesidentifying with the aims of NCI and wishing toensure the survival of the charity. www.nci.org.uk

Eyes along the coast: the NationalCoastwatch Institution (NCI)During the 1980s and early 1990s, a number of small HM Coastguard lookout stations were closed down. In 1994, two

fishermen were lost at sea near one of these recently closed stations on the Lizard. Local people, upset by the loss,

formed a group to acquire the old lookout at Bass Point, restore it to working order and man it with volunteers. The

National Coastwatch Institution was born.

EST April 2013

Documents

Transcript of EST April 2013

Council Agenda Items 20-74 - 20 April 2010 · 2013. 10. 11. · Council Meeting Date: Tuesday 20 April 2010 Page 187 Surname Address Total cost est. ($) Details Price Reserve Creek

» Population 24 million (est 2013) » GDP (PPP) $26.22 billion (2012 est) » GDP/capita (PPP) $1,200 » Labor force 10.1 million (2012 est) » Unemployment.

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