1. FIRESA Council Representing the FIA’s Fire Fighting Suppliers FIRESA Council/CFOA Joint Seminar 9th February 2016
Derek Gotts Ian Callaghan
Chairman, FIRESA Council Vice-Chairman, FIRESA Council

2. What Is The FIA?
Largest Trade Association for the Fire Protection and Fire-Fighting industries
Over 650 members
The ‘go to’ organisation for government and regulators
FIA members sit on over 150 Boards and Committees
Dedicated to the highest standards and quality
Formed in 2007 from merger of BFPSA and FETA
FIRESA became a Council of the FIA in 2013

3. The FIA Structure

4. FIRESA Council
Enacting key policy with links to FIA Board, Marketing, Liaison and other Groups
Chairman Derek Gotts
Vice-Chairman Ian Callaghan
Other Council members are: Richard Ballheimer, Simon Burnett-Boothroyd,
Andy Barber, Mark Healey, James Jones, Suzanne Prince, Andy Roe, Philip Tasker and Lesley Wardle
Guests at Council include CFOs, CFOA and LGA representatives
Quarterly meetings held at Fire and Rescue Service HQs
Meetings open to internal and external guests
Seconded to Council: CFO Paul Fuller, Bedfordshire and Luton FRS
Colin Robinson, Fire Times, as Marketing Adviser
Martyn Lamb, Draeger

5. Where Are We and How Did We Get Here?
Genesis of ultimately failing NPS
2010 Coalition’s austerity measures affecting public services
Firebuy discontinued
2013 Sir Ken Knight’s ‘Facing The Future’ report
2014 Moves to preserve FRS capabilities with less financial resource
2015 Conservative government continues austerity programme
Local and some national collaborative processes gaining
momentum
2016 Mandatory ‘Blue Light’ collaboration and option of PCC control

6. Factors Affecting our Fire and Rescue Services
Over 20% cuts in central government funding in past five years
Fewer front-line fire fighters, Fire Stations and
Fire Appliances
Further cuts expected
Government mandating Fire/Police collaboration
Need to maintain service delivery with less resource
Less equipment and different types of Fire Appliances required

7. Changes in Fire and Rescue
Greater collaboration and infrastructure sharing
Creation of merged FRS ‘Back Office’
FRS mergers
Private provision of some FRS functions
More on-call Fire Fighters?
Fire/Police cross-fertilisation
Some FRAs to come under PCC control
Extended life of Fire Appliances and move to smaller specialist vehicles

8. State of Play According to the NAO
Reported in November 2015
‘Low level signs of financial stress…in some Authorities’
Savings mainly from staff cuts, no increase in income
Capacity to respond may be affected by further cuts
Response times increasing
Reduced prevention work may lead to increase in fire incidents

9. Some NAO Findings
22% average spending power reduction, 38% for Metropolitans
14% fewer full time posts with on-call also falling
Senior management down by 17%
Pumping appliances down 4.4%
Changes to shift patterns and duty systems
Responding with smaller appliances and fewer fire-fighters for some events
30% reduction in audits/inspections, 27% fewer fire risk checks

10. The Supplier Experience
Frameworks/Tenders continue to proliferate with complex and time-consuming mini tenders
Duplication in aspects of the FRS/supplier interface
46 [about to be 45] independent customers with differing requirements
Uncertainty
What will FRS collaboration look like?
What will ‘Blue Light’ collaboration look like?
But an opportunity to work together to achieve greater efficiencies

11. FIRESA Activities in a Changing Landscape
Strengthening of key liaisons and creation of new partnerships
Input into central and local government policy
Enactment of CFOA MoU and assistance in development of CFOA Associate Membership Scheme
Support for collaborative and more streamlined procurement
Support also for standardised product specifications, national equipment evaluations and product innovations
Growing the FIA/FIRESA Council brand at exhibitions, seminars and other events

12. Strategic and Tactical Objectives
Strategic Alliances and Partnerships
Fire Sector Federation
CFOA, CFOA Services Ltd, CFOA Board and Transport Officers Group
Contract providers/brokers
Scottish, Welsh and NI Fire and Rescue Services
Fire Service College
LGA Fire Committee

13. Strategic and Tactical Objectives
Representing The Fire Fighting Membership
Canvassing members on issues of sectoral importance
Representing those views externally
Developing policy positions on key issues

14. Strategic and Tactical Objectives
Lobbying Government and its Agencies with the FIA
Fire Minister and shadow spokesperson
Senior Civil Servants within DCLG/Fire and Resilience Directorate and now Home Office
Local Government
BIS and UKTI on export opportunities

15. Strategic and Tactical Objectives
Membership Development
Active pursuit of new and lapsed members
Lesley Wardle as ‘Membership Champion’
Promotion at events and exhibitions

16. Strategic and Tactical Objectives
Regulations, Guidance and Standards
Input into FRS Operational Guidance
Maintaining comprehensive representation on relevant BS, EN and ISO Committees
All members can contribute to these processes

17. Strategic and Tactical Objectives
Exhibitions and Seminars
Firex International in May 2015
Emergency Services Show in September 2015 including sponsorship of Drinks Reception
Table at Spirit of Fire Awards, October 2015
Sponsorship of Excellence in Fire and Emergency Awards in December 2015
Fire Fleet and Equipment Show and Firex International next Spring

18. Summarising Some Specific Issues Currently Being Addressed
Continuing to develop liaison arising from the CFOA MoU
Growing FIA/FIRESA Council awareness across all strata of the FRSs
Acting with CFOA and FRSs to deliver collaborative
procurement and equipment evaluation regimes
Understanding and contributing to inter-FRS collaboration
and mandated intra-Blue Light collaboration
Product Innovation
Growing vital networking opportunities for our members
Bringing FRSs and suppliers together here today

19. Focus on Centralised Equipment Evaluation
Principle highlighted in Sir Ken Knight report
Duplication yields direct and indirect costs to suppliers and the FRSs
Project on FRS R&D activity commissioned from Kingston University
Gaining support within the sector
Interest from Fire Service College

20. How Do We See Centralised Testing Working?
An open, transparent and dynamic process
Rigorous testing and interpretation of output data
Backed by output-based equipment specifications
Trialling of equipment in controlled, repeatable environments
No ‘winner takes all’ but reported outcomes enabling each FRS to make its own judgment on its preferred equipment
Savings for both the FRSs and suppliers

21. To Find Out More Speak to us here at the Seminar
Visit the FIA web site at
Contact the FIRESA Council Secretary Dave Smith at
As an inclusive and outreaching Council and Association, we want to engage with you

22. Thank You For Your Attention!