A successful IGA and Board meeting

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Last month saw a successful meeting of the International General Assembly (IGA) and IFE Board of Directors. It was the first time the IGA had met the IFE’s new CEO Graham Cory, and to welcome him on board Trent Fearnley, New Zealand branch president, performed the haka, a traditional Māori war dance, before presenting the group with a wooden canoe.

Trent explained the purpose of the canoe was to act as a symbol of everyone working together to move the IFE forward. The canoe will be present at all future IGA meetings.

Trent Fearnley, New Zealand branch president, presents the wooden canoe to Chris Bilby, IGA Vice Leader and North East Midlands branch representative.

Minutes of the IGA and Board meeting will be circulated to the attendees. For information and updates please contact your local branch representative.

Don’t miss the deadline for RE18 proposals

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Applications are now open for presentation proposals for this year’s RE18 event which will take place on 13th November 2018 at West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters.

Proposals should showcase current research studies and innovative projects as well as reflect back on initiatives that have helped shape or influence today’s evidence base, policies and practice and look forward in terms of the future nature and direction of fire related research and development. In addition to presentations, poster presentations are also very welcome.

The annual event attracts a wide audience from across the emergency services, fire industry, research communities and other private or public sectors interested in the latest fire related issue, developments and concerns.

To declare your interest in presenting at the conference, please complete the application form and return it by 27th April 2018.

IFE launches new Passive Fire Protection qualification

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The IFE has launched a Level 3 certificate in Passive Fire Protection qualification.

This qualification has been developed in partnership with the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP). It is aimed at individuals either directly engaged in passive fire protection or those who need to develop an understanding of the passive fire safety systems such as managers and technical supervisors working in passive fire protection roles, technical sales staff, designers and fire risk assessors.

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IFE member discount for new ASFP Passive Fire Protection training

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The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) has launched a new training programme for those who work in passive fire protection.

The training, which is available from April 2018, is suitable for all those involved in the construction industry from designers and specifiers to contractors and specialist installers. It is also suitable for building owner occupiers and enforcement agencies.

As well as meeting the needs of those working in the passive fire protection industry, the content of the training also reflects the content of the IFE Level 3 Certificate in Passive Fire Protection. Those who take part in the training will be able to use this as preparation for the IFE examination.

IFE members wishing to attend the ASFP training courses qualify for a 15% discount. Simply enter your IFE membership number on the booking form and on declaration of this the discount will be applied.

For further information about the content of the training and its availability, please click here.

New Zealand branch raises awareness of fire engineering with new MoU

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There is a shortage of engineers at all levels in New Zealand and the Government has responded by allocating over $60 million over the past four years to boost engineering education. The Engineering Education to Employment (E2E) Programme was set up in June 2014 to help facilitate this goal and represents a partnership between the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), the Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs), Business NZ, Engineering NZ and a number of organisations that employ engineers or benefit from their services.

Last year the New Zealand branch met with E2E to discuss the issue. E2E did not realise the size of the fire industry or the need to be recognised as engineers with our own career path. Currently fire engineering is only recognised in New Zealand at a Masters level and it is not noted on career websites which the branch has been trying to change since late 2015 when they conducted a gap analysis of the fire industry in New Zealand and the lack of qualifications available in the industry. We discussed the need for a diploma level qualification for those people in the industry who are working at Engineering Technician level. E2E did not realise that the fire industry had such a wide variety of specialised roles such as evacuation consultants through to passive fire installers and fire alarm technicians.

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USA welcomes centenary torch to its AGM and educational conference

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The USA branch enjoyed a successful AGM and educational conference last month with the IFE’s torch in attendance to mark the centenary.

2018 Education Conference Presenters and IFE-USA Board Members (L-R: Mike Worrell, John Granby, Patty Moore, Bruce Varner, Jim Broman, Paul Brooks, Randy Parr, Randy Hanifen, Rochard Balmer, Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, Phil Stittleburg, Bill Peterson, and Mark Chubb)

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Centenary torch to climb Mount Kinabalu

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Following its attendance at the USA branch’s AGM and Education Conference, the torch has visited the Singapore branch and is currently in Malaysia attending several branch events, including a mountain trek!

During its time in Malaysia the torch attended the International Fire Conference and Exhibition Malaysia (IFCEM 2018) and a Centennial Fire Safety Seminar before it made its way to Mount Kinabalu with the Climathon 2018 team. The team have been training for months (see their Facebook page here) ahead of their 4,095m climb and the Minister of Culture has endorsed the event to recognise the efforts of the IFE Malaysia branch in promoting the centenary.

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