Contents
Partnership in practice
Steve Trevethick reports on the partnership between Hampshire FRS and thecounty’s Primary Care Trust and how the two are striving to reduce community death
Campaign for fire sprinklers in schools
CFOA President Phil Toase gives an account of the ‘sprinklers for schools’ campaign as well as highlighting where progress still needs to be made
Heritage buildings – designing for life safety and property protection
The design of fire detection systems for the heritage sector is both complicated and challenging. Peter Stephenson describes a path that, for the unsuspecting, may be littered with pitfalls
Has CPA scrutiny helped make data more secure?
Organisations like TK Maxx, HBOS and Nationwide Building Society have hit the headlines for losing sensitive information. Is data held by the FRS any less valuable or secure?
More than a facelift
Shaun Tame of law fire Brown Jacobson examines the logistical and legal issues fire authorities are facing on refurbishment projects
EDITOR’S COLUMN
Partnership in practice is the theme of this month’s Risk Management feature, with Hants Community Support Manager Steve Trevethick describing the improvements made in concert with the local Primary Care Trust. Last month FIRE called for steerage on how to connect with communities, calling for the shared vision to provide a framework, or strategic user’s guide on forming productive partnerships.
This example, Steve affirms, ‘demonstrates that the long-term potential benefits can far outweigh the necessary contributions by partners’, ie, it can be easy and painless. Unfortunately, the sprinkler campaign has been perceived by some as being long and painful. Whilst it has been a protracted process there have been significant wins, such as the recent announcement by Schools Minister Jim Knight MP that sprinklers are to be fitted in all new school buildings. Given that much of the credit should go to the National Fire Sprinkler Network, there is some evidence that in government lobbying terms, this is a relatively ‘quick win’ (the NFSN was established in 1998; in politics, the day before yesterday). It is great to hear from CFOA President Phil Toase who has worked tirelessly for the installation of sprinkler systems in schools in West Yorkshire for many years and has placed the issue at the centre of his presidency.
I disagree with those fire and rescue services which maintain that the minister did not go far enough in forcing all schools to be fitted with sprinklers. He went as far as he could given construction and local jurisdiction constraints. For this he should be applauded, not denounced. FRAs can do more and Phil outlines the measures West Yorkshire are taking to ensure sprinklers are not only provided for schools but also every high risk section of the community.
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