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FIREX
The WCoFF was present at this
year's International Firex exhibition
held at the NEC in Birmingham in
May. Past Master Viv Jones along
with a number of Company
members including John Worboys,
Peter Moore, Colin Simpson and
Past Master Peter Cowland manned
the stand and gave out information
on the Company.
The event is one of the largest Fire
Industry event in the calendar and it
is a good opportunity to advertise
the Company to the fire trade (and
interest them in the Fire Industry
Ball). The organisers, UBM (who
also regularly sponsor the Fire
Industry Ball), generously donated
the stand and also donated some of
the takings from dinner and quiz
social events to our charitable
activities.
The next International Firex event
will be held in London.
Colin Simpson and Past master Viv
Jones with the bottle of champagne
prize for the raffle.
CITY “FIRE”
LECTURE
PM Alan Wells
Chairman, Fire Lecture Working Group
The Worshipful Company of Firefighters held its
third annual City “Fire” lecture at the Insurance
Hall on the 23rd April. It was sponsored by
Capita plc and had the title “Safe as Houses” and
was a debate about the benefits and costs of
fitting domestic sprinklers in new homes.
James Shannon, President of the NFPA, based in
USA, spoke for the introduction of sprinklers into
new homes and Jonathan O'Neill, head of the
FPA in UK, spoke against this automatic fitting of
sprinklers for domestic buildings. The debate
was chaired by James Landale, Deputy Political
Editor of BBC News.
It was an intense debate with many questions and
absorbed the many people from the City and fire
industry who attended.
Master Michael Harper welcomed some 155
people to the Insurance Hall; Sheriff Nigel
Pullman made an opening address and was
presented with a cheque for The Lord Mayor's
Appeal 2013.
Bruce Hoad, then Under Warden-in-Waiting,
introduced the guests, closing with comments
about the work of the LFB's Community Fire
Cadet Scheme. The Master presented a
Company shield to each of eight Fire Cadets who
attended to assist with preparations for the
lecture.
Jim Shannon's presentation about domestic
sprinklers from the American perspective was
enlightening and informative; and to a degree
what the audience expected. Jonathon O'Neil,
with the more difficult task in opposition,
surprised the audience with a well-balanced
argument, not against domestic sprinklers as
such, but supportive and favouring a more
pragmatic approach to their installation in
domestic buildings.
The Fire Minister, Brandon Lewis MP, made a
closing address and gifts were presented to the
sponsors and participants, culminating with a
special presentation to Sir Ken Knight by the
Master on behalf of the Company. The gift was a
book entitled “Masters' Badges of the City of
London Livery Companies” to wish him well in
retirement.
Through its City “Fire” Lecture, the WCoFF is
becoming an important contributor to key issues
in the fire protection world.