Cleveland Fire Brigade - Experts & Thought Leaders

U.K. fire and rescue services (FRSs) Hereford and Worcester FRS, Shropshire FRS,  Cleveland Fire Brigade, and Country Durham & Darlington FRS have selected Motorola Solutions to deploy a new Control Room Solution (CRS) utilizing a shared control room platform to allow the four control rooms to work independently as well as a collaborative services hub. The new solution integrates workflows from initial call-taking to dispatch, into an intuitive and unified response system. It will standardize data and processes and provide control room staff with the ability to more quickly respond to incidents and to scale operations and capabilities in times of high demand. New multi-agency hub “Our control room is an essential function and the first point of contact to our communities in any emergency," said Jon Pryce, Chief Fire Officer, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service. “By creating this new multi-agency hub, our four fire services can manage incidents together when they need to, such as in spate conditions, when a control room may need to cover a large amount of incoming 999 calls. The new Control Room Solution will help  us to maximize the capabilities of our control room staff and use the latest technology to mobilize and coordinate front-line staff." Standardization “By adopting this innovative approach, fire and rescue services can enhance capabilities, improve service delivery, and minimize costs by sharing the same underlying infrastructure,” said Fergus Mayne, U.K. and Ireland country manager at Motorola Solutions. “By choosing a hub solution, emergency services foster standardization for seamless information exchange during joint operations and increase scalability to accommodate varying demand levels especially leading to faster response times.” integrated communication control system The four Fire & Rescue Services working together operate 77 fire stations, covering a population of 2.5 million people. As part of the deployment, the shared platform encompasses an integrated communication control system (ICCS) for call-taking, computer-aided dispatch (CAD), and data recording to help each FRS increase the effectiveness and resilience of incident response.

Last week, the Brigade’s Principal Officer Team appointed Group Managers - Dave Preston and Lee Brown as Area Managers for Cleveland Fire Brigade. The appointments were made following a robust and competitive selection process. Forty-one-year-old Dave Preston from Hartlepool has been appointed to the role of Senior Head of Operations overseeing and strategically managing the Brigade’s emergency response and national resilience capability, operational policy and planning, and health and safety services and resources. New Area Managers for Cleveland Fire Brigade Area Manager, Dave Preston brings over 19-years of experience with him to the role Area Manager, Dave Preston brings over 19-years of experience with him to the role, after starting his career as an operational firefighter with the Brigade back in 2005. His career has steadily progressed undertaking a variety of operational and managerial roles. Speaking upon his appointment, Dave Preston, said: "I am deeply honored and immensely proud to be offered the opportunity to serve the communities of Cleveland as an Area Manager. This role represents a significant milestone in my career, and I am eager to embrace the challenges and responsibilities that come with it." Dave Preston adds, "I am truly grateful for the trust and confidence placed in me, and I am committed to upholding the high standards and values of Cleveland Fire Brigade." Lee Brown - Senior Head of Prevention and Protection Also successful at the recent appointment’s process was forty-six-year-old Lee Brown who has been appointed to the role of Senior Head of Prevention and Protection with responsibility for strategically managing the community prevention and safeguarding services, the fire investigation function, and the regulatory business and building safety protection services. Area Manager, Lee Brown brings over 21-years of experience with him to the role and a wide depth of knowledge and skills. He started his fire and rescue career at County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) back in 2003, after serving in the British Army. Extensive industry experience Lee joined Cleveland Fire Brigade in February 2022 in the role of Group Manager He rose through the ranks at CDDFRS undertaking operational, managerial, training, and learning and development roles.  Lee joined Cleveland Fire Brigade in February 2022 in the role of Group Manager, Training and Assurance with overall responsibility for training, national operational guidance, operational assurance and the application of national fire standards. Speaking upon his appointment, Lee Brown, said: "I’m absolutely delighted, proud and privileged to be appointed to this role and I look forward to taking on the new challenge. The position as Senior Head of Prevention, Protection, and Engagement represents a significant milestone in my career, and I am eager to bring my experience and dedication to this vital role." He adds, "I have always been passionate about enhancing community safety and this promotion provides an excellent platform to make a tangible difference." Initiatives in fire prevention and protection strategies Lee Brown continues: "I am particularly excited to drive forward initiatives in fire prevention and protection strategies, as well as community engagement, ensuring that we continue to deliver outstanding services to the people of Teesside." Chief Fire Officer, Ian Hayton said: "These are fantastic appointments for our outstanding fire and rescue service and for the communities we so proudly serve. Dave and Lee both bring a wealth of experience, skills and knowledge to their respective positions and their passion, dedication, commitment and tenacity will be vital to shape the future and continually improve the performance of this amazing Brigade."

Cleveland Fire Authority welcomes the outcome at Teesside Magistrates Court at which two businessmen were successfully prosecuted by Cleveland Fire Authority for failing to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Mr Kambiz Kamyab and Mr Russell Karl Mills who jointly own the premises and are the responsible persons for 34-36 Borough Road, Middlesbrough were fined and ordered to pay costs to the value of £11,100.80. They both pleaded guilty to several offenses under Article 32(1)(a) a failure to comply with any requirement or prohibition imposed by articles 8 to 22 and 38 (fire safety duties) where that failure places one or more relevant persons at risk of death or serious injury in case of fire, specifically. Safeguard relevant persons Article 8(1)(b) – Failed to take the general fire precautions to ensure the safety of the premise for relevant persons who are not his employees. 1.1. Breaches in compartment walls and floors where services pass. Article 9 – A fire risk assessment has not been completed for the premises to identify the general fire precautions required to safeguard relevant persons. Article 13 – Inadequate fire detection and method of giving warning in case of fire. At the time of the resident raising a complaint with fire safety regulators the premises had no fire detection or warning system installed. Article 14 – Combustible and other items being stored on the means of escape including a plumbed in washing machine. Article 14 – Flat doors are not fire doors, a fire in one of the flats could spread the fire and fire gases more quickly than would normally be expected. Fire safety arrangements The flats above 34 to 36 Borough Road at the time of inspection were occupied by four residents  Concerns were raised to Fire Safety Officers by residents on the 21 April 2022 which resulted in an inspection of the premises.  The flats above 34 to 36 Borough Road at the time of inspection were occupied by four residents within three flats, a fourth flat was being utilised for storage. No fire incident occurred prior to the inspection; however, it is reasonable to assume due to the lack of fire safety arrangements as outlined above that if a fire had transpired then relevant persons would have been placed at risk of death or serious injury. Fire safety measures To emphasise the concerns with regards to the lack of fire safety measures within the premises officers sought and issued a prohibition notice for the flats which resulted in all four residents being rehoused. One experienced Fire Officer described the fire safety provision provided for the premises as being the worst he had ever seen. One experienced Fire Officer described the fire safety provision provided for the premises as being the worst Ian Hayton Chief Fire Officer at Cleveland Fire Brigade said: “We welcome the outcome of today’s court case, which reflects the seriousness of the offences committed under fire safety legislation. We always seek to work with business owners in the first instance to maintain fire safety standards within their premises. Where individuals responsible for building fire safety completely disregard their duty and place people at risk, Cleveland Fire Authority will not hesitate to prosecute if necessary.” Fire safety legislation “We would like to remind all businesses that they have a duty to comply with fire safety legislation and support is available from our dedicated team of Fire Engineers. In bringing this case to a prosecution, it demonstrates how seriously we take our responsibilities to protect the lives of people in our community.” The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to all non-domestic premises in England and Wales. A responsible person must carry out a fire safety risk assessment and implement and maintain a fire management plan. The Brigade works closely with businesses to ensure they comply with the regulations and staff is available to offer practical advice and assistance in this area.