Speakers at the Firex 2005 conference include Dr Carlos Urkia, Spanish Red Cross discussing the co-ordination of paramedic services following the Madrid bombings and Steve House from the Metropolitan Police presenting the challenges recently facing London.
Meanwhile visitors to the November 2-3 event, at the G-Mex Centre, Manchester can see Disaster City – what might happen if a major bomb blast(s) has hit a UK city centre.
The area of devastation has spread out to the greater city area. Several hundred calls have been received by Fire Control and it is not known whether it is one major bomb or a series of explosions. It is also unclear if there is chemical, radioactive or biological contamination. The scenario featured here focuses on a multi-storey collapse on the periphery of the city.
The demonstration will see fire crews and emergency responders first testing for contamination using chemical suits etc, followed by USAR teams searching for casualties and finally the extrication of casualties and victims.
A compere will describe the action taken by crews while also detailing the decisions taken by the Incident Command team in the Incident Command Unit. A live video feed will run from inside the ICU. This commentary will be interjected by updates from an Incident Commander/Fire and Rescue Service Spokesperson to the media.
Disaster City will provide a showcase for the skills and equipment employed by the Fire and Rescue Service, in particular its enhanced specialist capacity for dealing with these types of incidents. The dual aspect of Incident Command and practical demonstration will give insight to the strategic decision making process and the difficulties and skills required for USAR operations.
The Disaster City will occupy 500 sq metres in the exhibition hall, and will comprise a stage set, seating area for 250 to 300. Fire chiefs appear on a plasma screen to describe local and regional response to the incidents (several bomb blasts in the city centre and at outlying strategic transport links and vulnerable buildings).
The exercise will run for about an hour and will be repeated throughout the exhibition. Register for your badge to be sent to you in the post online at www.fire2005.com
Conference and workshop programme
The Fire 2005 Conference organised in association with the Chief Fire Officers Association offers a two day programme of top-level speakers presenting the latest ideas on key topics including:
New Dimensions โ looking at regional responses including recent case-study material from the Madrid bombings and the Metropolitan Police.
Recruiting, Developing and Managing Our People โ focusing on issues of equality and diversity as well as recruitment and retention.
Delivering The Vision – Learning From Others โ Winning hearts and minds and creating a winning formula as demonstrated through the Olympic Bid.
New Challenges in Command and Control โ Case study of the emergency response to the Tsunami and new challenges facing the London Fire Brigade.
The conference pass also includes a number of networking opportunities including drinks receptions and the Gala Dinner and Fire Awards 2005 held in the Renaissance Hotel.
Individual workshops focusing on Water Rescue, Arson Task Force, Procurement, Firelink, Co-Responding, Regulatory Reform Orders and Equality and Diversity are also available.
Dame Tanni Grey Thompson is also to speak at the FIRE 2005 conference. Nine times gold medal winner, 30 world records titles and six times winner of the London Marathon, Dame Tanni Grey Thompson will describe how she has strived to be the best and overcome challenges in her path.
Spina bifida meant that Tanni has been in a wheelchair since the age of seven, but she has become arguably Britainโs greatest ever Paralympian having won 11 gold medals.
About the event
The accompanying exhibition at the G-Mex Centre, 2-3 November is free and includes a number of new features, say organisers, including the Disaster City area where live demonstrations of reacting to a major disaster will be simulated with video footage and actors.
