The winner of this year's FIRE magazine/Gore Research Excellence Award, Firefighter Paul Young, received his award from Tyne and Wear Chief Fire Officer Iain Bathgate.

Paul Young received the FIRE magazine/Gore Research Excellence Award from CFO Iain Bathgate following his presentation at the Fire Related Research and Developments event at the Fire Service College on November 17th.

The event is jointly organised by the Institution of Fire Engineers and the Fire Service College.

The annual FIRE magazine/Gore Research Excellence Awards are now in its fourth year and for the first time this year's main award went to a serving member of the Fire and Rescue Service and with it a cheque for £1,000. In addition, a Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Professor Rosemarie Everton, and Dr Bethan Davies and Laura Lawrence received the best Poster Award and a cheque for £250 for their work on the psychological processes involved in psychological debriefing interventions.

Paul Young's presentation was on the psychophysiological demands of repeated search and rescue, guideline and firefighting exercises under ambient and live fire conditions: outcomes, implications and recommendations for future intervention. In practical terms, he was looking at the mental and physical implications of wearing breathing apparatus sets.

Judging panelists were impressed by the quality of the research, conducted in partnership with Northumbria University, School of Psychology and Sports Sciences, and the significant contribution to FRS understanding of the psychological impact of BA usage upon personnel. A key recommendation from the research indicated the pressing need to vary training exercises under live fire conditions.

The awards were presented by WL Gore and Associate's Gordon Burns and FIRE Editor Andrew Lynch. Gordon told delegates: "We are committed to supporting the development of new ideas and innovation in the UK Fire Service and hope that these awards will encourage continued research in the sector."

 

Photo: CFO Iain Bathgate presents Firefighter Paul Young with the 2010 FIRE magazine/Gore Research Excellence Award

 

Posted 30th November.