The Chief Fire Officer Association (CFOA) Conference 2010 will take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, Ennis Road, Meelick, County Clare, on Wednesday 5th May and Thursday 6th May 2010.
The theme of the conference is “Innovation and the Fire Service – Success in a Changing Environment”. The conference will focus on the changing environment facing the Fire Service, including the changes to the economy and the changing roles for the Service in recent times. It will host expert speakers within the Emergency Services Sector and the Fire Technology/Industry from Ireland, UK, EU and New Zealand.
Mr. Michael Finneran T.D. Minister for State at the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, will open the Conference.
Members of the media are invited to attend the conference. Photograph and interview opportunities will be provided.
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME:
Day 1: Wednesday 5th May
08:30 – 09:30 Registration
Session 1
Chairperson: Brian Power, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Dublin City Council
09:30 – 09:45 Welcome to Delegates and Official Opening, Cllr Tony Mulcahy, Cathaoirleach, Clare County Council, Mr. Tom Coughlan, County Manager Clare County Council
09:45 – 10:15 Opening Address, Michael Finneran T.D., Minister of State with responsibility for the Fire Services
10.15 – 10.30 Address of Chairman of Chief Fire Officers’ Association Michael Raftery, Chief Fire Officer, Galway Fire Service
10:30 – 11:10 “Half-Time Oranges – Winning The Game From Here”, Alan Merry, Principal Advisor Fire Risk Management, New Zealand Fire Service
11:10 – 14:00 Tea/Coffee/Delegate Networking & Fire Technology Exhibition
12:45 – 14:00 Lunch
Session 2
Chairperson: Tadhg O’Driscoll, Chief Fire Officer, South Tipperary County Council
14:00 – 14:40 Integrated Risk Management Planning – The Concept, The Reality
Frank Swann, Chief Fire Officer, Nottinghamshire Fire Service
14:00 – 15:20 Fire, PHECC’n EMS, Dr. Geoff King, Director, Pre Hospital Emergency Care Council
15.20 – 15.35 World Rescue Organisation Challenge 2010, Pádraig Ó Longaigh, Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Meath County Council
15:35 – 16:20 Tea/Coffee/Delegate Networking & Fire Technology Exhibition
16:20 – 17:00 The National Directorate’s Role in developing Fire Services and Emergency Management in Ireland, Sean Hogan, National Director, Fire & Emergency Management
17.00 – 17:15 Open Forum & Closure of day’s proceedings
Day 2: Thursday 6th May
08:30 – 09:30 Registration
Session 3
Chairperson: Seamus Murphy, Chief Fire Officer, Mayo County Council
09:30 – 10:10 Major Emergency Management – The Clare Experience, Gerard Dollard, Director of Services, Clare County Council
10:10 – 10:50 Major Emergency Management in Ireland – A National Perspective, Celina Barrett, Director of Emergency Mgt / Civil Protection, Directorate of Fire & Emergency Management
10:50 – 11:30 European Civil Protection – Together In The Face Of Disaster – Dennis Keeley, District Officer, Dublin Fire Brigade
11:30 – 14:15 Tea/Coffee/Delegate Networking & Fire Technology Exhibition
12:45 – 14:00 Lunch
Session 4
Chairperson: Dave Carroll, Chief Fire Officer, North Tipperary County Council
14:15 – 14:55 “Igniting the passion – Influencing Fire Safety Behavioural Change”, Alan Merry, Principal Advisor Fire Risk Management, New Zealand Fire Service
14:55 – 15:35 A Perspective On The Future For An Bord Pleanala As The Final Arbitrator Of Fire Safety Design In Ireland, Dr. Ray Connolly, Fire & Safety Consultant, Fire & Risk Solutions Ltd.
15:35 – 16.15 Panel Discussion & Closing Summation
End of Conference
Conference presenter biographies:
- Alan Merry is Principal Advisor Fire Risk Management at New Zealand Fire Service. Alan Is a native of Ennis, Co Clare. Following a background as a Civil Engineer in the steel fabrication industry in the UK, Alan returned to Ireland where he joined Clare County Fire and Rescue Service as a Fire Officer in 2000. In 2002 Alan was appointed to the position of Regional Fire Engineer for the New Zealand Fire Service. Covering the south island, he was responsible for technical advice and support to fire service personnel and senior management. During this time he was also a member of New Zealand’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team. In 2008 Alan was appointed to the role of Principal Advisor Fire Risk Management based at National Headquarters, Wellington. Alan’s role includes the collation and dissemination of fire risk management information to inform strategy development, promotional activity, business planning and reporting. Alan sits on a number of national Fire Service advisory committees and was recently appointed Chair of the New Zealand Fire Service national Home Sprinkler Steering group. He also represents the New Zealand Fire Service in the development of national technical fire standards for the fire industry. Alan also leads and manages several national Fire Service project groups and is responsible for developing partnerships with other agencies to further the Fire Service’s interests. Alan holds an honours degree in Civil Engineering from Cardiff University, Wales, a Masters Degree in Fire Engineering from the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Management from the Australian Institute of Police Management, Sydney Australia. He is also a graduate of the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) executive development program.
- Frank Swann joined the Fire Service in the West Midlands in 1982 where he served in and around the City of Birmingham. In 1997 Frank left the West Midlands to take up the role of Station Officer in Leicestershire before moving on to Nottinghamshire in the role of Senior Divisional Officer. Progressing in Nottinghamshire, Frank took up the reins of Chief Fire Officer in April 2007. Frank currently leads the CFOA (UK) workstream on Europe, is a member of the Federation of British Fire Officers and is a champion of The Fire Fighters Charity in the UK. He holds an MSc in Public Sector Management, BA (hons) in Human Geography and is a member of both the IFE and the Chartered Management Institute. A former rugby playing enthusiast, Frank is a season ticket holder at Leicester Tigers and is Vice Chair of the British Fire Services Rugby Section.
- Dr. Geoff King is Director of the Pre‐Hospital Emergency Care Council. PHECC is an independent statutory body with responsibilities for standards, education and training in pre‐hospital emergency care in Ireland. The PHECC established its offices in 2001. Prior to his appointment to PHECC, Dr. King was the Director of Medical Services with the RFDS (Royal Flying Doctor Service) in Queensland. He has long been interested and involved in developing supportive frameworks for collaborative practice with rural and remote nurses and indigenous health workers in Australia, and now with community responders and pre‐hospital emergency care practitioners in Ireland.
- Pádraig Ó Longaigh Joined Cork County Fire & Rescue Service as a fire officer in 1994, leaving in 2000 to take up a position in Meath County Fire & Rescue Service as Assistant Chief Fire Officer (Operations). Currently a Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer in Meath. From 2005 – 2007 worked on the Project Team for the DoEHLG Fire Services Change Programme. In 2008 was a founding member of Rescue Organisation Ireland and is the Vice Chairman of ROI. Currently working on the organising committee of ROI to bring the 2010 World Rescue Challenge to Cork.
- Sean Hogan is a Civil Engineer. He has worked in Fire Services in Ireland for more than 25 years. He was designated as National Director for Fire and Emergency Management in June 2009 by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. He was nominated as national co-ordinator for the two severe weather emergencies in late 2009 and early 2010.
- Gerard Dollard is Director of Service with Clare County Council with responsibility for Community & Enterprise, Economic Development, Tourism, Emergency Services and Ennis Town Manager. He has held responsibility for emergency services since May 2005. Gerard’s entire working career has been with the Local Government Sector having spent fourteen years with Limerick City Council where he held a variety of positions in planning, finance and personnel. Having strong family roots in County Clare, Gerard took up duty with Clare County Council as County Finance Officer in 1997 and was subsequently promoted to his present position in March 2001. His presentation today will focus on Clare’s experiences in the area of major emergency management.
- Celina Barrett initially trained as a Counselling Psychologist before joining Dublin Fire Brigade in 1994 as a firefighter/paramedic. During her time with the DFB she completed her Engineering Degree and moved to the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government as an Assistant Fire Adviser in 2004. She was part of the team that developed ‘A Framework for Major Emergency Management’ and was responsible for leading the Project Team charged with implementing the Major Emergency Development Programme in the Local Authority Sector. Celina was Deputy Chair of the NERCC during the recent severe weather events.
- Dennis Keeley is a District Officer with Dublin Fire Brigade and recently graduated from Dublin City University with a Masters Degree in Emergency Management. In recent years he has been seconded to the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management. Dennis has undertaken a comprehensive programme of emergency response/ civil protection training under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and with the United Nations. This year Dennis responded as a member of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination team (UNDAC) following a request for International assistance by the Ukraine Government.
- Dr. Ray Connelly started his career with Dublin Fire Brigade, before joining the UK’s Building Research Establishment’s Fire Research Station in the early 1990’s. Ray set up in private practice in the UK in 1996 and has worked for a wide range of clients including various UK government agencies. Ray established Fire & Risk Solutions in Cork in 2000. Ray has experience in the fire safety design of large and complex projects in Ireland, the UK and the Middle East. Ray has been retained as a consultant to An Bord Pleanala since the late 1990’s and has advised on close to 100 appeals since then.
CONTACT:
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