Fire and rescue personnel and industrial brigades from around the world are invited to this year’s Emergency Services Show to see how the UK fire and rescue service is evolving to become a response, prevention and protection service for the 21st Century. Returning to Hall 5 at the NEC, Birmingham, UK from 19th to 20th September 2018, the annual event gives visitors unique access to world-class expertise, training, technology, kit and support networks.
“With the terrorist attacks in London and Manchester and the Grenfell Tower fire, a lot has happened over the past year, and the UK’s emergency services are happy to share their experiences of major incidents with international fire and rescue services,” explains Event Director David Brown.
Many UK fire and rescue services – including Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, West Midlands Fire Service and UK ISAR – will be on hand to discuss their strategic and operational developments and exchange best practice. Organisations such as the Fire Industry Association and United Kingdom Rescue Organisation will also be sharing their expertise.
The free two-day event will feature a host of unique learning and networking opportunities. Emergency services and partner agencies will share their experiences of responding to real incidents in the Lessons Learnt seminar theatre (sponsored by UCLan PROTECT). Following its successful introduction in 2017, the Health & Wellbeing seminar theatre will also return. Speakers will include emergency responders who have experienced mental health challenges and organisations that are implementing change and offering support. Full details of all seminar programmes – all of which will be CPD-accredited – will be published on www.emergencyuk.com in the coming months.
West Midlands Fire Service will be hosting extrication, first aid and trauma challenges and the College of Paramedics is returning to deliver its very popular programme of free 30-minute CPD workshops, which members of the fire and rescue service are also welcome to attend. There will be a wealth of free advice on physical and mental wellbeing as part of the event’s focus on supporting those working in demanding and challenging roles.
Around the indoor and outdoor exhibition visitors will be able to see and touch the latest kit and discuss solutions to their needs with suppliers, which include over 50 companies and organisations exhibiting for the first time.
The organisers are delighted to welcome back key suppliers including BMW Group, Bristol Uniforms, Jaguar Land Rover, Stryker UK Ltd and Vimpex. Many exhibitors will be demonstrating new solutions and technology on their stands.
In the networking hub of the show, The Collaboration Zone, over 80 emergency services, voluntary groups, charities and NGOs will be sharing details of the support they offer, while members of other partner agencies will be available to discuss co-response and other areas of partnership working.
Supporting organisations include British APCO, the newly formed Central Programme Office (custodians of the FRS National Operational Guidance Programme), Fire Industry Association, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary & Fire & Rescue Services, Institution of Fire Engineers, ResilienceDirect, The National Fire Chiefs Council and United Kingdom Rescue Organisation (UKRO) among others.
Last year’s event attracted a record number of 7,599 visitors and buyers, representing an eight per cent increase on 2016 with a significant 12 per cent increase in visitors from the fire and rescue service.
Simon Hardiman, Group Commander, West Midlands Fire Service who attended in 2017 said: “It’s been a fantastic couple of days and is really good to engage with other providers and other rescue services. It’s a great opportunity to see what other services are providing. Integration with the other services is the real key for us.”
Entry to the exhibition and seminars is free, as is parking. The NEC is linked to Birmingham International Station and Birmingham Airport and is directly accessible from the UK motorway network.
For more information, go to www.emergencyuk.com
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