A recent meeting brought together representatives from a broad spectrum of the fire industry including: fire detection, consultants, gas extinguishing, sprinklers, fire equipment supplies, the fire department, IFE, FPA, ASIB, engineering council, FDIA and FEASA.
The objective was to establish if an overall representative body of the fire industry was feasible or in fact required. Each area of the fire industry works automorously in several directions of effort in an attempt to improve standards and controls. Some industry sectors have achieved legal requirements but cannot get the power to prosecute wrong doers. Other sectors have been told by government that their standards or codes of practice cannot be legalised.
Approaches to the insurance industry to get assistance from them fails due to insurance company competitiveness. One insurer will insist on a level of fire protection, the next will provide cover without question. Standards are in place for all fire market sectors but contractors, consultants and end-users choose to ignore them.
Members of the above organisations debated long and hard about various issues effecting the industry but concluded that a common voice would not solve any further problems. Much time and effort has fallen on deaf ears at government and insurance levels so encouragement was given to each market sector to carry on and improve its own 'backyard'. The meeting was closed and another light dimmed.
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