Learning from the Past and Preparing for the Future - The Emergency Services Show 2017
Learning from the Past and Preparing for the Future
The Emergency Services Show
This year’s Emergency Services Show returns to Hall 5 at the NEC, Birmingham from 20 to 21 September with a strong focus on learning from past incidents and collaborating to protect the public and save lives. As recent major incidents in the UK have demonstrated (including the terrorist attacks in Manchester and London and the Grenfell Tower fire), all government departments need to collaborate at every stage to co-ordinate effective response and recovery during emergency situations.
“We continue to face challenging and difficult times and these events continue to highlight importance of collaboration, partnership working and using digital tools to be able to respond quickly. JESIP underpins how multi agencies can cohesively work together. Resilience Direct continues to enable and support our responder community – all of us working together to keep the UK safe,” says Luana Avagliano, Head of Resilience Direct, UK Cabinet Office (a key partner of the show, along with JESIP and the National Operational Guidance Programme).
Attracting over 6,500 visitors and 400 exhibitors, The Emergency Services Show brings all that expertise together through an unrivalled networking opportunity, a programme of free seminars, live demonstrations and an indoor and outdoor exhibition showcasing the latest products, services and training.
Public sector visitors concerned with fire safety in the wake of the Grenfell tragedy for example can speak to members of the Fire Industry Association and Fire Sector Federation. On their stand will be representations from BSI and British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association. The latest developments in breathing apparatus and lighting solutions will be showcased by suppliers while outside, Emergency One/Clan Tools will be demonstrating the high reach of its turntable ladders.
Free CPD Accredited Seminars
Major Incidents Reviewed
Terrorism and search and rescue are among the topics planned for the Lessons Learnt Theatre (sponsored by UCLan), where emergency services and partner agencies will share their experiences of responding to real incidents. The British Red Cross for example will talk about its response to the Grenfell Tower fire, how it worked with and supported the local community and how this ties in with its new Community Reserve Volunteering project. The nationwide project, launching this year, aims to recruit a taskforce of thousands of volunteers who will only be called out if a major emergency, like Grenfell, were to happen in their own community.
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service will lead a session on the Wirral gas explosion, with co-speakers from Merseyside Police and Northwest Ambulance Service. There will also be a multi-agency case study of the Didcot Power Station building collapse.
The Air Accident Investigation Branch will cover the different phases of the response to an air accident, and how it works with the emergency services to minimise risk and preserve and share evidence.
The College of Paramedics will once again deliver a programme of free 30-minute CPD workshops. This year’s programme includes a reflective account on the London bombings.
Health and Wellbeing Theatre
The effectiveness of the UK’s emergency services depends not only on the training, equipment and technology they are provided with, but also on the way in which their physical and mental resilience is supported. This is why organisers have introduced a new a new seminar theatre dedicated to the health and wellbeing of emergency services personnel. The programme will cover issues such as fitness, mental health and health and safety. Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service for example will present a session on supporting firefighters dealing with the emotional impact of Emergency Medical Response.
Delegates will also be updated on the blue light wellbeing framework for all emergency services being developed by The College of Policing in conjunction with Public Health England, and the Police Federation will be sharing details of its Protect the Protectors campaign which is calling for a change in legislation, leading to tougher sentences for those who assault emergency service workers.
Personal stories will be shared by a serving police officer who suffered a nervous breakdown and a paramedic diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) who has set up the charity Our Blue Light. Simon Lee, co-founder of the charity PTSD999 will present a session on living with PTSD.
Innovations for Effective Response
In the Innovations Theatre delegates will hear about the work undertaken by the Centre of Excellence for Information Sharing to reduce high demand on blue light services from local residents through education and intervention. There will also be a presentation on the capabilities of the NEXES app and the benefits this offers both call centre operatives and citizens, especially those with special or additional needs. Visitors can find out more about the fully integrated control room operated by North West Fire Control and a live streaming project being used by Thames Valley Air Ambulance to improve patient care. There will also be an overview of the research and development work being undertaken by Hampshire Fire & Rescue Services in partnership with the Home Office Centre for Applied Science and Technology.
Air support will also be a key topic with United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA)’s centre for Remote Applications in Challenging Environments (RACE) presenting the latest developments in robotics and drones, and Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service explaining how its drones are being used to complement multi-agency searches for missing persons.
Collaboration Zone
In the networking hub of the show - The Collaboration Zone - over 80 voluntary groups, charities and NGOs will be sharing details of the support they offer, while members of other blue lights services will be available to discuss co-response, current trends and share ideas. The Emergency Planning Society will be exhibiting again this year alongside other organisations including Resilience Direct, Resilience Advisors Network, British APCO, Applied Psychological Sciences, Unison, Mountain Rescue England & Wales, HM Coastguard, Civil Air Patrol, British Red Cross, National Operational Guidance Programme, JESIP, Government Decontamination Services, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and the Rail, Air and Marine Accident Investigation Branches, to name a few.
New Names in the Indoor and Outdoor Exhibition
Around the indoor and outdoor exhibition visitors will be able to see and handle the latest kit and discuss their needs with over 400 suppliers. Over 50 companies will be exhibiting at The Emergency Services Show for the first time. The growing exhibition for emergency responders has also attracted the most respected training providers in the industry including the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), Training 4 Resilience and the National CBRN Centre. Many exhibitors will be demonstrating solutions and technology on their stands and water rescue demonstrations will take place on the Pendigo Lake outside the exhibition hall.
Extrication Challenge
West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) will be running a realistic and exciting Extrication Challenge at The Emergency Services Show this year. The Challenge will provide an arena for some of the UK’s best rescue personnel to come together and develop their proficiency levels in all areas of road traffic collision rescue but specifically in incident command and control, safety and scene assessment, extrication, professional pre-hospital care and expert use of rescue equipment.
Supported and judged by the United Kingdom Rescue Organisation (UKRO), the RTC scenarios will include a car on its wheels, a car on its side and a car on its roof. Vehicles will have heavy and complex damage (simulating a significant RTC) along with a ‘live’ casualty trapped inside. There will also be other vehicles or props in the vicinity in order to make the scenarios more realistic. Scenarios will be cordoned off, however spectators will have the opportunity to get close up to the action which will be just a few metres from the simulation.
First Aid & Trauma Challenge
This year the West Midlands Fire Service will hold their annual First Aid and Trauma Challenge at The Emergency Services Show. This will be the first time the event has been hosted outside of a brigade venue and an exciting new exciting dimension has also been introduced to make the scenarios more realistic and interactive. Competing teams will experience visual and audio from an actual incident that has been set up and filmed specifically for the scenario in an Educational Immersive Tent. To add authenticity to the trauma scenarios, West Midlands Fire Service Casualty Simulation Group will be providing casualties with realistic make-up and prosthetics.
Road Safety Seminars
Running alongside the extrication and trauma challenges will be a dedicated Road Safety seminar programme. Speakers include the Road Rescue Recovery Association which will be explaining how road recovery firms have knowledge, expertise and resources which can assist the fire and rescue services at the scene of a RTC. Highways England will highlight the dangers contained within a car that could impact how rescuers respond to incidents.
The Air Ambulance Association will present on the future of UK highways in the context of the All Lanes Running roll out which will impact on all emergency services, rescue and recovery organisations attending incidents. UK HEMS (a charitable collaboration of UK helicopter air ambulance services) will also be speaking.
WMFS, in partnership with various vehicle manufacturers, will provide visitors with specialist information on the latest rescue tool equipment, new vehicle technology, high strength steel, airbags, SRS, hybrid and full electric vehicles and road safety.
Collaborate for Better Savings and Products
CFOA National Procurement Group which is co-hosting its stand with representatives from the Home Office and Police Commercial (CLEP), invites fire and rescue services as well as suppliers to the fire sector to find out more about the Fire Commercial Transformation Programme which covers clothing, construction and facilities management, fleet, ICT, operational equipment and professional services. Visitors can obtain information on the procurement frameworks currently available to them and see examples of where collaboration has resulted in savings and better products.
Meanwhile in the Innovations Theatre, Kent Fire & Rescue Service will share details of the Collaborative PPE Project.
Getting There
The NEC is linked to Birmingham International Station and Birmingham Airport and is directly accessible from the UK motorway network. Entry to the exhibition and seminars, as well as parking is free.
To register for free entry visit the conference website.