Home > About the ABE > Awards > Fire Safety Award 2006

Fire Safety Award 2006

ABE FIRE SAFETY AWARD(S) PRESENTATION AT THE 62ND FIRE SURVEYORS SOCIETY'S DINNER 23 March 2007 By Ian Wilson FBEng - Corporate Fire Surveyor The Fire Surveyors Society (FSS) were pleased to welcome and sit at dinner with our ABE Immediate Past President - Michael Cassidy - as Guest of Honour. Mention was made that the Irish Senate had passed the legislation which recognises the Association of Building Engineers members and lists the Association in the legislation. Well done to the Irish Branch for all of your hard work over the last ten years to achieve this status and recognition. Michael's view of where the ABE are heading was certainly well received and inspiring - as to how the ABE are developing in the British Isles and beyond - whilst retaining the friendship and a 'can do' ethos. It was a pleasure to have guests like Bill Black with us - as part of Pat Carey's large party. Our Guest of Honour also made mention of the support by the presence of John Vyse's table from Enfield. The ABE Fire Safety Engineering Group (FSEG) - have had a powerful 2006/7 series of CPD lecture presentations. Those attending were lucky to have heard the following presentations at City University - hosted by Prof Kuldeep Virdi FBEng: > 13 September 2006 - Jim McWilliams of Tyco presented a seminar on Domestic and Residential Sprinklers looking at the needs of the market place > 11 October 2006 saw David Simmonds of Surefire explain the Building Regulations and the new Regulatory Fire Safety Reform Order - the benefits of compliance through the use of 'water mist' > 14 November 2006 Prof Gordon Cooke PhD discussed Major Fires and the lessons which had been learnt > 10 January 2007 Wayne Bretherton of the WSP Group [London Office] spoke about BS 7974 and creating Fire Engineered Buildings > 13 February 2007 a presentation on Fire Resistant Glassing was presented by Mike Wood of Pilkington Glass > 29 March 2007 Adair Lewis of the FPA discussed the Colindale Apartment Fire May 2006 saw the Official Celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Formation of the FSS in October 1945 at the 61st Annual FSS Dinner. With the help of the IAAS - at the then IAAS London HQ - the FSS was Founded in 1938 -- but that 'dear' man Uncle Adolf decided to intervene and delay practical formation of the FSS for 6 years. Our Guest of Honour on that special occasion was David B Smith - the first ever Insurance Fire Surveyor to be President - who was newly installed as ABE President. This arrangement was made possible by agreement with Michael Cassidy - and the delaying of the normal March/April FSS Dinner to May 2006. All this epitomises Michael's words about what is so special about the ABE - retaining friendship and a 'can do' ethos. So it was fitting that on the 5 March 2007 - David B Smith nearing the end of his Presidential Year was at the Centenary Dinner of the Fire Insurance Surveyors Society - FISS - which was highlighted in the President's Page of the April 2007 Edition of Building Engineer. Many ABE Members are also Members of FISS - led by Ian Wainwright The FISS 2006/7 Dinner/CPD Talks at the London Cricketers Club - have been open to the ABE London Region Membership - as are the FSS CPD Lecture Presentations at City University. The subjects and topics inevitably have a strong cross-over interest with the Building Control Approved Document's - with regard to risk assessment/design/protection/safety etc. The response by Peter Jackman, a friend and supporter of ABE FSEG and ABE for many years, was certainly heartfelt and most appreciated - and Peter did not even suffer butterflies for an extended period before giving his wonderful response. With a number of former Winners and Citation Holders of the ABE Fire Safety Awards also present, it was a privilege to announce the 2007 results: Of the four nominations submitted - the Judging Panel felt that the overall standard of submissions were not only of a high calibre, but were so varied and interesting! So the Judging Panel unanimously agreed that each of the four nominations would be cited. The first citation announced was a Commended Certificate - awarded to the Intumescent Fire Seals Association (IFSA) for their published suite of Guidance Notes for those with responsibility as Assessors. One of the Judging Panel Members thought that this IFSA Guidance was an important move forward and hopes to arrange agreement to publish part in FSE. Mr Bob Settle of IFSA came forward on the night to accept the Certificate. The second citation announced was also a Commended Certificate awarded to Steve Harris of Tyco Fire for overseeing design and installation of 43km of water fire hydrant mains for the Channel Tunnel Rail Links into St Pancras Station. The Contract also included testing of the design to handle the huge hydrostatic pressure potential - for at least a maintained 25 years design life - delivered truly good quality fire engineering. Jim McWilliams of Tyco - a friend and supporter of ABE FSEG for many years - came forward on the night to accept the Certificate. The third citation announced was a Highly Commended Certificate awarded to Karen Haestier of the Home Office for the work on changing children's views on their schools and reducing the number of deaths and injuries caused by arson. This whole area of human behaviour, reaction and thought processes is in need of more research and written definition. BS 7974 the part akin to BS 9999, is a part of this area in need of research/definition - more importantly the statistical support of outcomes over the next few years - to prove operational effectiveness. Karen came forward on the night to accept the Certificate. The Winner of the ABE Fire Safety Award was announced as Johannes van de Weijgert for his research and development of a measurable methodology of fire resistance - available to test houses and manufacturers of Intumescent Fire Coatings is regarded as important particularly with the number of buildings with steel framework. Johannes came forward to receive his Winners Certificate & decanter and gave a short description of the technical reasons for going forward with this research - research that is also recognised by publication in technical fire magazines such as FSE.

^ back to top