Simon Petts
Chairman
Simon began his fire service career with the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy in 1985. He spent nine years in the service covering risks ranging from the flight deck of HMS Illustrious to most of the Navy’s air stations and even six months covering Faslane Nuclear Submarine base in Scotland.
Simon left the Navy in 1994 and joined Gatwick Airports Fire Service. Once there he passed through the ranks to become one of the station managers running an operational watch.
He has been involved in the training side of Gatwick’s operation since 1997 and has delivered countless initial courses as an instructor and course director. During 2008/9 Simon worked as the lead manager during Gatwick’s progress through the CAA’s ATP process, gaining accreditation for delivery of IFFC.
In recent years Simon has successfully undertaken the FPA’s diploma in fire protection and Leeds University’s Post Graduate Certificate in integrated emergency management. Simon lives in Kent with his wife and two children where he has been a school governor for the past five years and currently chairs the health & safety committee.
Email: chair@afoa.co.uk
The Airport Fire Officers Association is a technical body, dedicated to promoting and maintaining the professional image and status of Airport Fire Services within the United Kingdom and Ireland, ensuring continued communications between them, through an on-going dialogue of information and knowledge on all relevant technical and operational matters.
AFOA is a re-launched version of the Senior Airport Fire Officers Association (SAFOA) which came into existence approximately ten years ago. Unfortunately, this never proved to be a significant success as it was only open to a narrow band of high-ranking officers who, in turn, struggled to deliver work whilst dealing with issues on station.
Allied to this was a certain amount of scepticism from airport owners who misinterpreted SAFOA's agenda and felt they were essentially an officers union.
AFOA was formed in 1998 and has a clear mandate not to become involved in any form of industrial relation issues either in a direct or indirect manner. AFOA are only concerned with the development of standards, best practice and the promotion of communications throughout the industry.
In short, AFOA see themselves as a professional body that would be able to offer advice on any technical issue related to Aviation Fire Fighting.
The idea of opening up to all airport fire officers was to ensure that the industry as a whole was represented, whilst tasks and projects could be accomplished as the pool of resources would increase significantly.
Additionally, AFOA has been a great vehicle to develop the younger junior ranks, as people in this band are the senior officers of the future. The method for achieving this is undertaken primarily through the provision of four quarterly meetings planned in a twelve month period. The first meeting of the year is the annual two-day conference, which this year attracts in excess of one hundred delegates each year.
An example of the work undertaken includes the production of a Generic Guidance Manual produced for the implementation of an in house Maintenance Scheme for Fire Fighters which will be expanded now that the Supervisory and Managerial Roles have been identified and agreed., and the RFFS Medical & Fitness Policy Guidance Document.
Other projects have ensured that AFOA encourage a better, more pro-active relationship with manufacturers, suppliers and training providers as we feel the need to be involved with fire fighting technologies and, their on-going development
Strong links have been forged with the International Fire Training Centre, Teesside (Training Provider), KIDDE Fire Trainers (Hot Fire Simulators), SIDES, Angloco and Rosenbauer (Fire Appliances), Angus and Solberg Scandinavian(Foam and Fire Fighting Equipment), Brothertons and Omex Specialist Products (Runway De-Icing Fluids) Drager (Breathing Apparatus) etc…
The low category airports have been a little resistant in joining so far although AFOA are making great strides to inform them of their significance in signing up to such an organisation.
In conclusion, AFOA are well established within the industry and has a strong rapport with legislative bodies in the UK as well as comparable associations overseas.
It is clear that there is a need for such a forum so as a certain amount of commonality can be achieved, much in the same way that the local authority brigades operate through CFOA.
Meet the Committee:
Barry Alderslade
Committee Member
Ian Webb
Committee Member
Joined Greater Manchester Fire service in 1978 & served at Manchester's central station as a firefighter until 1985 when he went to work in Saudi Arabia training airport firefighters.
On his return in 1987 he joined British Aerospace at Woodford as a firefighter, moving through the ranks until 2004 when he was made SAFO.
Woodford is a production site and has built ATPs, 146 and RJs along with military maintenance contracts. Currently the site is engaged in the production of the MR4 Nimrods.
Joined the Airport Fire Service at Heathrow in 1983 after serving in the RAF Fire Service. Keen interest in developing and advancing ARFF tactics & techniques including Fire Behaviour, Tactical Flow Rates and Positive Pressure Ventilation.
CBRN Silver Commander and National Inter Agency Liaison Officer (NILO). Involved with the 'Gatwick Fire' commercial training programme.
John Purdy
Committee Member
John joined the RAF Fire Service in 1986 and served in the UK and abroad until Jan 1993 following which he Joined Newcastle International Airport Fire Service.
After working through the ranks and became a Station Manager in March 2007.
From 2012 John has been responsible for the Training Academy Business Development and in 2016 he became the Airports Commercial Training Manager, a role which encompasses aviation firefighting, offshore oil and gas firefighting as well as other safety and security training.
John has a Certificate in Education and a BA Hons Degree (First Class) in Airline and Airport Management.
Interests include watching and playing cricket and generally keeping fit, John has completed numerous Great North Runs, a London Marathon and in 2015 a Triathlon.
Also a regular supporter and fundraiser for a North East cancer support charity, FACT.
Ann-Marie Knegt
Media & Marketing
Ann-Marie is the editor of the international firefighting magazine Fire and Rescue, and the local authority fleet management title, Local Authority Plant and Vehicles and works on Industrial Fire Journal and www.hemmingfire.com.
She has turned her titles into market-leading publications with global social media presence over the last 12 years. Ann-Marie launched the successful Future Fleet Forum, a forum that aims to improve fleet management standards in local government and emergency services fleet, and has been involved in the organisation of several other events including the PPE: Duty of Care Forum in 2016.
She also heads up the Future Fleet Procurement Working Group, and industry working group, which is developing a code of conduct for the procurement of fleet in government organisations. Ann-Marie has an expansive knowledge of firefighting practice worldwide and is also a four-time judge member for the International Firefighting Team of the Year Award, (Conrad Dietrich Magirus Award). She also recently cycled over 150 miles from Kent to Ghent and raised £1.700 pounds for Operation Florian, the international fire service charity.
Email: am.knegt@hgluk.com
Catherine Obrien
Finance Manager
Catherine has been a qualified member of the ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) since 1997.
She has trained and worked as an accountant within public practice since leaving school following A-levels. After having her two sons she became self-employed, while still working within the same industry, in order to work the hours that suit her family life.
Catherine’s husband is a Station Manager at Gatwick Airport, hence her connection to AFOA.
In her role as treasurer, Catherine will manage the finances of the Association and report to the committee members annually in respect of this.
David Hyde
Committee Member
David joined Greater Manchester Fire Service in 1989 and served at Gorton for 9 years before moving to West Sussex.
He was posted to Horley as a firefighter and gained promotion to leading firefighting working at Crawley and then back at Horley. In 2001 he was promoted to Sub Officer and worked at Shoreham before moving back to Horley. During his time at Horley he worked closely with Gatwick Fire Service and in 2006 he was instrumental in designing and delivering a joint aviation course for West Sussex personnel along with colleagues from Gatwick Fire Service.
In 2008 he joined the training department and delivered a recruit training course along with East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, on returning to West Sussex in 2009 he spent the next 4 years working as the service incident command trainer delivering courses at all levels of command.
In 2013 he gained promotion to Station Commander and was posted to Crawley Fire Station where he serves today. He is the Gatwick liaison officer for the County and works closely with WSFRS Chief Fire Officer who is the CFOA lead for aviation. He is a NILO and CBRN subject matter advisor.