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Managing Editor, IFSEC Insider

Author Bio ▼

James Moore is the Managing Editor of IFSEC Insider, the leading online publication for security and fire news in the industry. James writes, commissions, edits and produces content for IFSEC Insider, including articles, breaking news stories and exclusive industry reports. He liaises and speaks with leading industry figures, vendors and associations to ensure security and fire professionals remain abreast of all the latest developments in the sector.
June 10, 2021

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Fireside Chat

FIA Fireside Chat: Fire Sector Federation’s Dennis Davis – “The fire sector is coming together more”

We pick out some of the best bits from the Fire Industry Association’s (FIA) recent fireside chat with Dennis Davis, Executive Officer at the Fire Sector Federation and an international independent fire and civil protection advisor.

You can read the full fireside chat with the FIA’s Adam Richardson, here. 

What does your usual day look like?

Obviously, it’s changed from pre-Covid, when travelling gave a useful period of reflection, to working from home where you transfer from the work to the domestic environment almost straight away. Often you can move from one conversation to another online literally back-to-back, without that period of thinking.

Every day varies and has an interest whether in thinking, in discussions, conversations, meetings, or listening to others or webinars, corresponding, web updates or documentation reading, so it’s a mixture. All part of course, of organising and administering our Federation.

What makes you excited about the future of this industry?

Right now we are experiencing an important change. The fact that as a fire sector we are coming together more, is significant and allows recognition of our contribution to the safety of society.  Throughout my entire working background I have been about trying to keep people safe from fire.

I think there’s been a coming together in these last few years, one that has been recognised externally, and internally people realise there’s a lot more we can do to pull things coherently together so as a sector we can make a more solid contribution.  We have got the chance to improve the safety in the UK particularly, but abroad too where we can share. That has to be the big picture at the moment, because there’s been long periods when we have been shouting in the wind.

What is the latest technology/invention/innovation you would like brought into the fire industry?

There is a lot to be exploited that already exists, like sensing devices of all kinds, which can be linked to artificial intelligence, robotics, command and control systems, etc. so when one has an emergency intervention and if necessary any blue light response can be made to any property.  On that sort of basis we can build an integrated and cohesive strategy to prevent, protect, respond and recover. Integrated service delivery has some way to go if we are to maximise the resources we already have and the technologies and innovations are already in existence.

We’re very happy to use technology for material benefit, lighting and heating systems or whatever so we don’t spend more money on energy. We could start by thinking could these innovations be adapted to assist us in areas of safety in particular – are there technologies to safeguard firefighters?  Having an open dialogue and a fresh approach would help create the right climate to explore these ideas.

What do you like about the fire industry most?

The people. In general, they’re warm and want to make life better for people and the other thing is, although there’s often a commercial edge, of course, there is, but when you meet up at exhibitions and the like, there’s a tremendous warmth and understanding even though they might be competitors.  You often get people moving from one company to the other because they’ve got a set of skills and I find the people and the overall objective, is really about making people safe at the end of the day, which is a good thing.

If you could have any three people (dead or alive) over for dinner – who would they be?

David Attenborough, I know he’s a national treasure and he must have had a fascinating life.  Someone from the thick of politics, not for any political reason but I can imagine sitting down with any Prime Minister would add to dinner party conversation.  A comic to lighten the conversation and a person of conviction. I visited Nelson Mandela’s house and some of his early speeches where on the wall of his garage.  His conviction of believing the same things before he went into prison as he was saying when he came out was inspiring to my generation.

2023 Fire Safety eBook – Grab your free copy!

Download the Fire Safety in 2023 eBook, keeping you up to date with the biggest news and prosecution stories from around the industry. Chapters include important updates such as the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and an overview of the new British Standard for the digital management of fire safety information.

Plus, we explore the growing risks of lithium-ion battery fires and hear from experts in disability evacuation and social housing.

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