Conferences and Exhibitions

Showcasing resilience and responding to terror

Whether it is the Bastille Day lorry attack, other lone terrorist or the co-ordinated attacks that took place in Paris or Brussels, the nature of terrorist threats continues to evolve, as does the role of the counter terror professionals. Innovative ways of working, new skills and increasingly sophisticated equipment are required to effectively protect the public.

Keeping abreast of all the developments and support available can be a real challenge, but a visit to The Emergency Services Show, taking place at the NEC, Birmingham on 21-22 September, provides a unique opportunity to network and exchange ideas across the resilience, emergency planning and emergency services community, share best practice and identify from lessons learnt as well as to see, hear and handle all the latest technology and equipment.

Free Seminars
New for 2016, The Learning Zone at the Emergency Services Show features a free two-day seminar programme curated and inspired by JESIP and the National Operational Guidance Programme for the Fire & Rescue Service. Sessions will review the multi-agency responses to recent incidents, identify the operational challenges and capture positive learning.

A number of exhibitors will be available to speak to visitors about collaborative projects. London Fire Brigade for example will be showcasing the results of Exercise Unified Response, a large scale and complex, live and command post exercise, which was held earlier this year, based on a significant building collapse, incorporating heavy transport and mass casualties. All of London's emergency response organisations, including local and national authorities, were involved along with specialised teams from across the UK and from Hungary, Italy and Cyprus.

Drone Zone
As well as showcasing suppliers of UAV technology, the Drone Zone at The Emergency Services Show brings together industry specialists and end-users to share their knowledge and experience. Risk management, operational safety in both civil and commercial airspace, privacy, security and legislation will all be covered in the free seminar programme.

Lee Renwick, director of the HAIS Group, will talk about the application of UAVs in law enforcement and counter terrorism. His session will cover the benefits of UAVs, cost reduction, what type of UAV to use, networking capability and forensics capabilities including imaging, mapping, surveying and data capture. He will explore the advantages that UAVs can offer over and above humans and other surveillance means such as helicopters. Key considerations in UAV procurement and set up that he will look at will include cost reduction, image, reach back, real time analysis and reporting. He will also explore the pros and cons of different UAVs including QUAD, multi or FW types and the factors to bear in mind when choosing one including weather, payloads and specific customisation needs.

Other Drone Zone speakers will include: Steve Coulson, director of Martek Marine, who will explore how drones are going to change emergency service teams of the future and ask whether they will be seen as an enhancement or a threat to the jobs of already stretched teams; John Tansley, managing director of NoFlyZone, who will cover privacy and security issues surrounding the legal and illegal use of UAVs, and examine public perceptions; Ricky Huntley, regional RPAS advisor, SGS Hart Aviation, who will highlight the importance of corporate responsibility and due diligence and demonstrate how human factors considerations are centric to successful drone deployment; and John Hanslip, of Marsh, who will advise delegates on risk transfer and insurance cover.
 
Within the exhibition, drone supplier Coptrz will be on hand to offer advice on how to choose the right drone and what kind of training is required. Other suppliers of UAV technology exhibiting include Aeraccess, Excelerate, Primetech and WH Bence.

Staff from SUAS Global, the voice of the UAV industry which promotes a common standard of excellence across the sector, will also offer advice on all aspects of drone use.

Resilience Organisations
Exhibitors of particular interest to all involved in emergency planning include The Emergency Planning Society, Emergency Services Mobile Communication Programme, United Kingdom Search & Rescue, Mountain Rescue England & Wales, HM Coastguard, British Cave Rescue Council, Public Health England, National Flood Forum, Training 4 Resilience, British Apco and DFRMO to name a few. As well as meeting the key resilience organisations and training providers, visitors to The Emergency Services Show can gain a deeper understanding of the support available from the voluntary sector.

West Midlands Police’s Multi Agency Specialist Assessment Team (MASAT) will be exhibiting this year. Jon Thursfield, Inspector Operations, Emergency Planning, West Midlands Police, said: “This a great piece of partnership working in the CBRN world, that has shaped thinking and operational direction throughout the UK. West Midlands Emergency Services teams were instrumental in the development and trial of this team.”

CFOA National Resilience
The UK’s Fire and Rescue sector remains at the forefront in terms of emergency planning, response and recovery, and its National Resilience programme is designed to strengthen the nation’s ability to handle emergencies and crises through the delivery of a co-ordinated response to a range of serious, significant or catastrophic incidents that have wide spread impacts or are of national significance.

The Emergency Planning Society has become the driving force in the world of resilience since its creation in 1993. Through regular consultation with the Government it provides a voice for its members to influence change at the highest level. Members come from all areas of the resilience profession and the Society provides a forum through its extensive network of regional branches to share experiences and disseminate good practice.

Institute of Civil Protection & Emergency Management
Bringing together emergency professionals and academics in order to provide an informed and influential voice on all aspects of civil protection and emergency management, ICPEM gives members the opportunity to network with practitioners and academics in the fields of civil protection, emergency management, resilience and associated disciplines.

National Inter-Agency Liaison Officers (NILO)
Originally initiated within the Fire & Rescue Services, NILO has now been extended to all responding agencies. The aim of the NILO role is to provide a cadre of officers especially trained to ensure co-operation between agencies responding to a terrorist related or public order event.

The three investigation Branches of the Department for Transport are also exhibiting: The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) and The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB).

Training Providers
Training4Resilience provides a range of exercises and validation events to test and validate plans and procedures as well as develop team competence. It provides scenarios designed to meet specific aims and objectives, all exercise materials including supporting information and media simulation, IT equipment and systems as required to deliver the exercise, an experienced training exercise delivery team and post exercise reports.

Equipment Suppliers
The Emergency Services Show is expected to feature over 450 exhibiting companies and organisations. The impressive indoor and outdoor exhibition is a one-stop shop for sourcing all the latest services and equipment. Exhibitors of particular interest to counter terror professionals include those showing PPE, surveillance, communications, vehicles, first aid, IT and clean-up and recovery services.

Manufacturer of decontamination equipment and personal protective equipment VersarPPS, will be showing its ONESuit ET featuring the latest material technology for protection of emergency teams responding to high risk hazchem incidents. Features of the ONESuit ET include: excellent resistance to an extensive range of vapours, liquids, aerosols and particulates; a laminated FEP visor; an integral sock and boot flap, or clamped boot with boot flap. It also features high performance laminated CoreTech Pro barrier membrane material encapsulated between PVC layers to increase durability.

Leading vehicle suppliers at the show include Mercedes-Benz Vans, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, Volvo Emergency Services Cars, Volvo Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Trucks, Terberg DTS and Yamaha. They will be joined by a wide range of chassis manufacturers and specialist vehicle converters. BMW will be displaying fully operational evaluation demonstration vehicles.

Visitors to the Excelerate stand will be able to see the new joint command vehicle for police and fire services in Northamptonshire. Currently under construction, it is believed will be the only one of its kind in the UK. The new vehicle, which will be run by Northamptonshire Police and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS), will provide a base for commanders when in attendance at large scale or major incidents. Built on a Scania 26 tonne capacity chassis measuring 10.5 metres long, 3.85 metres high and 2.5 metres wide in transit mode but doubling in size with double expanding sides, its will feature a: joint working space for police and fire operations, including a Command Conference Room and have the ability to receive and view footage from remote cameras. It will also feature resilient communication technologies providing interoperability with EMAS Ambulance Hazardous Area Response Team command vehicles and be networks compatible with the Emergency Services Network (ESN).

Reveal’s body-worn cameras are compact, simple to use, robust and waterproof. They record high quality audio and video, which gives an immediate and exact record.

Other exhibiting organisations of interest to counter-terror professionals include: The Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE); The Institute of Civil Protection & Emergency Management; National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS); National Chemical Emergency Centre (NCEC); CBRN Centre; Resilience Direct; Joint Emergency Services Operability Programme (JESIP) and Public Health England.

Getting to the Emergency Services Show
The NEC is linked to Birmingham International Station and Birmingham Airport and is directly accessible from the UK motorway network. Parking and entry to the exhibition and seminars at The Emergency Services Show are free.