Honorary Secretary - David B Smith CEng PPBEng FBEng FIFireE FCII
Honorary Secretary - David B Smith
David joined Council as a Branch Representative in 1991 and has served continuously since then apart from a break in 2002/03.
David joined the IAAS (now the ABE) as an Associate in April 1976 and became a Fellow in 1984. He was an active member of the Thames Branch Committee from 1976 to 1996, Treasurer 1978-1986, Vice Chairman 1986-88 and Chairman 1988-1991. David was a member of the Technical Committee from 1994 till 2001 (when it was disbanded) serving as Chairman 1997-2001. David was also a member of the Membership Advisory Panel. He was elected as a Vice President in 2002 and was President from May 2006 to May 2007. David commenced his three year term as Honorary Secretary on 8 May 2009.
David is Principal Director of WSA Consulting Engineers Ltd. which he founded in 1990 with two others and he has been the sole proprietor since 1994. He provides consultancy services on all aspects of fire safety and protection and is based near Reading, Berkshire.
Born in Harrow in 1940, David is married to Jennifer and they live in a large village to the south-west of Reading. David is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the IFE which he joined in 1986. He was a member of their International Council/Board of Directors from 1994 to 2004, serving as the 74th International President July 2002-03. During this period he also served on the Technical Committee and the Board of the Engineering Council Division (ECD), which he was instrumental in setting up, and became its first elected Chairman in 2000, holding that post until July 2002. He is still involved as a Professional Review Assessor and Interviewer. He was the winner of the ABE Fire Safety Award in 2004.
David started his working career in 1958, has been involved in the fire safety field for over 40 years and has worked extensively in Europe, Middle East, North Africa, India and Far East. Since 1977 as well as organising and/or Chairing conferences/seminars he has regularly given papers or lectures on all aspects of Fire Safety and Loss Control and has authored a number of specialist papers and publications. Over the past 30 years David has served as a member of a number of BSI technical committees and on a number of other specialist committees and steering/advisory groups associated with fire safety, fire engineering and education. He is currently Chairman of the BSI Committee concerned with fire safety in buildings (BS 9999 and BS 5588).