Flood rescue to receive a focus at Fire & Rescue 2009 
Fire & Rescue 2009 will host free seminard focusing on flood rescue
UBM Live, organisers of Fire & Rescue 2009, has announced a programme of free seminars focusing on flood rescue.
Leading experts will host two specialist educational sessions on the first day (12th) in the Fire & Rescue Learning Zone looking at the most prominent issues within flood rescue.
Fire & Rescue 2009 will take place from 12-14 May at the NEC Birmingham, UK.
Flood Rescue National Enhancement Programme - delivering the government's response to the Pitt Report will provide delegates with the most up-to-date implications arising from the government's proposed National Flood Emergency Framework.
Top level speakers will cover a range of topics including:
- Current UK flood scenarios, quantifying the potential risk to life
- The resulting multi-agency, multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional challenges
- The Government's Flood Rescue Enhancement Program, planned outcomes and expectations
- Integrating weather and environmental intelligence into operational planning and execution - the new National Flood Warning Centre
- Implications for the civil resilience and emergency management community?
- A look forward, national resilience in a "credit crunch"
This unique educational session will be hosted by CFO Paul Hayden of Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, who is also the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) lead on Environment and Flooding. Mr Hayden will be supported by representatives from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Flood Forecasting Centre.
Future Water Rescue Training & Equipment Standards will be hosted by Paul Amos, Area Manager in Hereford & Worcester Fire & Rescue Services and Secretary of the Fire and Rescue Service Inland Water Strategy Group to CFOA Operations Committee.
This targeted session will take an in-depth look at technical areas such as equipment, best practice flood rescue techniques, training and future standards with the aim of establishing awareness of a common code of practice for all first responder and voluntary groups looking to adopt water rescue as part of their service.
Gerry Dunphy, Event Manager of Fire & Rescue 2009, commented: "Following the introduction of a National Flood Emergency Framework in 2008, flood rescue has moved high up the agenda. It is for this reason that we are offering delegates two free-of-charge specialist seminars on this topic which will be delivered by leading luminaries. We are confident that visitors will come away from these sessions feeling they are up-to-date with the latest developments and well informed on the key issues."
