Held at the prestigious Aviva headquarters in London on 18 October, the event was organized by the FPA, the Fire Sector Federation (FSF), the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE), and the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC).
Shadow Minister for Policing and the Fire Service, Sarah Jones, set the tone for the day by commending the great strides that have been made by the fire sector to push forward the agenda for safer working and living practices in the built environment. However, she noted that the government has been “sluggish” in its progress to realize the sector’s demands, highlighting the plight of many who are still struggling under current regulations.
Grenfell Tower fire
“We all know that we’ll only truly honor the lives of those who died in the Grenfell Tower fire when we fix what remains, and despite some good work that has been done by so many people, we still have a broken system,” she told the audience.
The Grenfell Tower fire remained a key topic of the day’s discussions, with Senior Journalist for the BBC, Kate Lamble, and Deputy Editor for Inside Housing, Peter Apps, both reflecting on the coverage of the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 and its aftermath.
Speaking about the tragic incident, Kate noted: “Everything that could have gone did go wrong… everything from design, the fire safety strategy, the fire risk assessments, the approval, the building control, the manufacturing, the certification of those products – every single thing. There were flaws along the way.”
Fire 2022
FIRE 2022 also hosted several workshops and breakout sessions to inspire speakers and guests
Peter added that the evidence that emerged from the inquiry indicates how Grenfell was a very “avoidable tragedy,” but the initial warnings were ignored by both the government and developers even though there were “multiple opportunities to fix it.”
FIRE 2022 also hosted several workshops and breakout sessions to inspire debate among speakers and guests.
future of certification and fire testing
Some of the key highlights included a discussion on the future of certification and fire testing with UL’s Chris Hasbrook, the FPA’s Stephen Howard, and Schueco’s Chris Newman. Chaired by Chris Miles, the discussion compared the UK’s and EU’s testing regulations and the changes that could be expected in the coming months and years.
Another breakout session saw Chris Jones of the International Underwriting Association speak about professional indemnity insurance, covering some of the key challenges that developers and the insurance sector are facing, while Matt Canham from the NFCC and Howard Passey of the FPA spoke about the change in the legislative environment following Grenfell and whether regulations should focus more on risk to occupants than building height.
UK borders
Thiel spoke about operational and fire safety considerations within increasingly complex built environments
Taking guests beyond UK borders, another key highlight of the day was a USA case study delivered by Fire Commissioner Adam K. Thiel from the City of Philadelphia. Thiel passionately spoke about the operational and fire safety considerations within increasingly complex built environments, and how fire safety is a growing issue in the US. He indicated the lack of proper fire safety measures that are currently in place and the lack of a proper safety net for those individuals and families who are displaced by fire-related incidents.
Thiel was followed by special guest Dame Judith Hackett, who took to the stage to express her thoughts on the ongoing work of the sector regarding fire safety. “The commitment is enormous and they are focused on making it better,” she said.
However, she also added that some of the concerns that had been raised throughout the day had already been addressed by the new regulatory structure and that change was certain: “We will end up with better and safer buildings that will be better for firefighters and most importantly of all, better for residents.”
Fire Conference 2022
The conference also saw the launch of the newly published white paper from the FSF, calling for a national fire strategy. Bob Blackman MP, of the All-Party Parliamentary Fire Safety and Rescue Group, addressed delegates at the networking drinks reception where he congratulated the FPA’s Jonathan O’Neill OBE for an enlightening day of discussion and also spoke about the vital need for a regulated national fire strategy going forward.
All in all, Fire Conference 2022 invited key discussions and debates amongst both delegates and speakers. What is evident is how much of the fire safety sector is committed to ensuring safer practices across the board, and while more progress is yet to be made, the future of fire safety regulations in the UK is promising with the support of the sector.
