The Emergency Services Show 2019: A Showcase of Technology and Collaboration
Visitors to this year’s Emergency Services Show can source the very latest kit and discover emerging technologies, whilst networking with partner agencies with whom they could collaborate at future fire and rescue operations. Taking place in Hall 5 at the NEC, Birmingham on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 September, The Emergency Services Show is the UK’s largest event for the emergency services. It is free-to-attend and features over 450 exhibiting companies and organisations as well as live demonstrations, simulated training and CPD-accredited seminars.
Drones at the Emergency Services Show 2019
New features for the 2019 event include the SkyBound Rescuer Drone Seminar taking place in a dedicated Drone Dome and a SkyBound Rescuer Drone Zone, sponsored by SOARIZON®️ by Thales. Designed to help emergency services and public safety professionals to make the best tactical and strategic use of drone technology, these features are expected to attract attendees from every part of the global emergency services community, including fire, lowland, mountain, cave and coastal SAR; lifeboats and flood rescue units.
“New emerging drone technologies are seducing public safety organisations with the promise of reducing search times, improving situational awareness, enhancing team safety, reducing costs, or even the potential of delivering medical supplies ahead of rescue teams,” said Gemma Alcock, founder and CEO of Skybound Rescuer. “Drones are saving lives faster, safer, and cheaper than ever before. But drones are still far from fulfilling their full potential, the best is yet to come.”
“Drones have a valuable role to play in supporting and enhancing the work of all our emergency services,” added ESS event director David Brown. “The addition of the Drone Dome will be brilliant showcase to encourage enhanced operational efficiency and effectiveness alongside other emerging technologies at the show such as the latest vehicles, communications, medical and firefighting equipment, protective clothing, training technology and much more.”
New Launches at the Emergency Services Show 2019
Over 100 companies and organisations will be exhibiting for the first time including MSA (Britain), providers of BA and safety equipment which will introduce a modular breathing apparatus system called the M1 SCBA and run a readiness race on its stand to see who can don and doff it in record time. Other new exhibitors include Arktis Endurance Textiles; Gearmate vehicle accessories; Aligned Assets providers of address management software; Audax body worn video; Gamber Johnson mounting products for technology; Haztec International lightbars and sirens; Olight torches and Lind Electronics rugged computer and power packs.
Amongst the many innovations on the Delta Fire stand will be the newly-launched Delta Attack 750 HR Pro, a nozzle designed in conjunction with Greater Manchester Fire Service for fighting high rise fires, which combats the issues of low inlet pressures on the upper floors of tall building. On the Richard Paul Russell Ltd stand visitors can see the latest developments in monitoring equipment including the Kestrel K5400 Heat Stress Meter as well as the most powerful and reliable megaphone in the world, the Blue Ocean Megaphone. FlamePro will be demonstrating a new garment feature which is unique to the brand. Bristol Uniforms will be unveiling a new provision to help fire and rescue services with the swift, safe and professional cleaning and decontamination of PPE.
Suppliers of connected vehicles that serve as mobile communications hubs, satellite communications, ruggedised mobile computers tablets and phones, wearable tech, connectivity, UAVs or drones, hybrid and electric vehicles, body-worn cameras and video capture systems will all be represented. Excelerate for example will feature a range of scalable, flexible and affordable solutions which enable zero-gap connectivity on the move including a Ford Ranger 4×4 connected vehicle, UAV Streamer, EXCell Antenna and Connex Hub. DTSI Group will launch the new Peregrine V3 SAR platform: a rapidly deployable all-weather, small unmanned aircraft system (UAS) designed for both land and maritime operations. Visitors to the Vimpex stand can try out the FirstLook360 camera: the first live-streaming 360° multi-purpose technical rescue/search camera.
Just as important are the enabling ICT applications being showcased, including control room systems, data management, mobile apps for emergency service and public use and the multiple technologies now being used to speed and aid collaboration throughout the emergency services.
Fire Service Rota for example offers a powerful and flexible availability, payroll and scheduling system for firefighters. This can optimise crew levels and reduce overtime costs.
Public Sector Commercial Hub
Another new addition for 2019 is the Public Sector Commercial Hub, which can be found within the Collaboration Zone. This dedicated space will feature speakers from across the public sector delivering seminars to educate the emergency service supplier base on how the public sector buys and on some future changes to the commercial landscape. All sessions are exclusive for exhibitors only – but visitors are invited to join at the Open Sessions
Extrication & Trauma Challenge
Popular returning features include the Extrication Challenge, hosted by West Midlands Fire Service and judged by United Kingdom Rescue Organisation, and the First Aid & Trauma Challenge. Both challenges showcase the use of the latest technology and equipment, while the Extrication Challenge in particular is also a highly interactive and immersive experience for participants and show visitors alike, featuring live-stream action cameras broadcasting to large display screens.
Virtual Reality Training
Virtual reality training features heavily this year. Visitors will be able to participate in a multi-agency simulated training exercise on The Simulation Centre stand, giving them a taste of Coventry University’s immersive and dynamic virtual training facility. Leicester Fire & Rescue Service (in conjunction with RiVR) will also be offering virtual reality training and the Fire Service College will be introducing its new virtual reality training solution: FLAIM Trainerâ.
Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service will be displaying Safe + Sound pods which provide an immersive learning environment for community education on various topics including fire safety in the home, water safety, road safety, emotional wellbeing and CPR.
Prometheus Forensic Services will be offering visitors the opportunity to try out its Virtual Reality fire investigation training programme and SimTrainer will be showcasing its Fire Studio software tool for incident simulations.
Free Seminars at the Emergency Services Show 2019
CPD-accredited seminar programmes will run in four dedicated seminar theatres this year covering Lessons Learnt, Health & Wellbeing, IT and Emerging Technologies. The recent wildfires on Winter Hill in Lancashire and this year’s Ocado warehouse fire in Hampshire are among the major incidents which will be discussed in the Lessons Learnt Theatre, sponsored by UCLan. Visitors will also find out more about the newly-formed Fire Standards Board, and an international initiative to prevent firefighter fatalities, launched by the Institution of Fire Engineers. The Katie Piper Foundation will share its recommendations for improving pre-hospital burn care.
Individual and team resilience, PTSD, men’s mental health and the psychological impacts on control room staff are among the topics to be covered in the Health & Wellbeing Theatre. A number of sessions will focus on equality and diversity. Jennifer Hill, Watch Commander with West Midlands Fire Service, for example will share the experiences of a primarily female fire service team deployed in civil war-strewn South Sudan. Jules King, Chair, Women in the Fire Service is also due to speak.
Life-saving apps, digital disruption, cyber security, the IoT (Internet of Things) and using the Cloud to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness are among the diverse topics on the IT Theatre programme, sponsored by Excelerate. There will also be an update on the Emergency Services Network critical communications system from the Home Office.
Meanwhile the Emerging Technologies Theatre, sponsored by MSA, Zebra Technologies and Westbase.io, will explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning could be used to improve emergency response. It will focus on the training benefits of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies and look at emerging vehicle technologies including electric vehicles and connected cars. London Fire Brigade will explain how it is implementing zero-emission solutions for its fleet, and Mid and West Wales Fire & Rescue Service will give an overview of a project to develop instantly deployable tracking of first responders at operational incidents.
The College of Paramedics will also host its well-attended CPD training sessions, on both days of the event, which include a session on the identification and management of heatstroke, hypothermia and frostbite.
Networking and Collaboration
In the networking hub of the show, The Collaboration Zone, over 80 emergency services, voluntary groups, charities and NGOs share details of the support they offer to the blue light services. A team on the British Firefighter Challenge stand for example will be offering guidance on fitness, health and nutrition. Public Health England will have specialists from its Emergency Response Department and Radiation Protection Services on its stand. BARTA will give visitors a preview of a new emergency services awareness package for incidents involving animals, developed in collaboration with the National Fire Chiefs Council and due to launch later this year.
Meanwhile staff and volunteers from Mountain Rescue, Lowland Rescue, British Cave Rescue Council, NSARDA Search Dogs, RNLI, and UK International Voluntary Rescue Alliance will all be on hand to offer advice and expertise in the dedicated Search & Rescue Zone.
Other exhibitors in The Collaboration Zone include Airport Fire Officers Association, British Fire Services Association, Fire Industry Association, FIRE AID and International Development, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, Institution of Fire Engineers, The Fire Fighters Charity, The National Fire Chiefs Council, and UKRO.
Entry to the Emergency Services Show 2019 and parking at the NEC are free. To register to attend – and for more information including a list of companies exhibiting products and solutions for the fire and rescue sector – visit: www.emergencyuk.com