UK Market Development

My Background

32 years service within the UK Fire & Rescue Service.Experience - Large metropolitan, County Shire, and remote and isolated rural. Previous career -

UK lead for Health and Safety. Advisor to the UK Health & Safety Executive. Chief Fire Officers Association - Director of Operations. Non Ex Director of the UK Fire Service College. Director of UK Resilience. Professional focus – Firefighter Safety. Academic focus – Operational Command methods.

Now – UK Marketing Manager for Cold Cut Systems.

UK & Ireland Market Dimensions

Services Stations Fire Appliances

England 46 1440 2100Scotland 1 371 430 Wales 3 151 200N Ireland 1 68 110R of Ireland 37 220 250

Key UK issues

Firefighter Safety – The liability agenda.Rural capabilityInsurance industry costs and expectations.Limiting economic consequences.Reducing environmental damage.Community wellbeing and continuity. Operational flexibility.Critical assets and heritage.Continuity of service provision.

Big agendas

Firefighter Safety & Public Expectation Taking risks in a measured way and in a way that is as safe as

possible – but nevertheless still taking risks – must be intrinsic to the role of a Fire Service if it is to be effective.

Operational Flexibility Responsive, flexible, and future proofed in terms of continuity of

service provision and operational efficiency.

Environmental impact Preventing impact and pollution through the implementation of

Environmental Strategies. Targeted at demonstrating best practice in environmental management.

Financial Pressures

Market Development

Initial Cynicism

Basic operational awareness

General operational understanding - limited strategic involvement

Wide Strategic engagement & awareness

Embedded operational philosophy

Overcoming resistance

Threats to Implementation

Established Opportunities

Health & Safety concerns

High level training input

Danger of improper use

Entrenched operational perspective

Flow Rate requirements

Commitment to perceived alternatives

Alternative not complementary

Enhanced capability Significantly enhanced

firefighter safety Ability to attack offensively

from relative safety Total compatibility with

traditional methods Reduction in operationally

induced damage Reduced environmental

impact Enhancement of command

options Improved service provision

and community confidence

Development in the UK

Initial focus was the product. Resulting in singular use and

specialist application.

New focus is the method. Strategic development of the

Cutting Extinguisher Concept. Integrated with operational and

command understanding. Facilitating development and

innovation. Working strategically with service

users. Enhancing support quality and

response. Our aim is to help services link the coldcut™cobra with the strategic development of their operational plans and organisational strategies.

Market developments

Greater Manchester. Moving to a fully embedded system. Standard appliances and rapid response. Tender to purchase 43 units.

Lincolnshire. Fully embedded system. Standard appliances. Second phase tender towards 23 units.

Kent. Moving to a strategically diversified system. 6 units purchased. Progressive movement to wider implementation. Developing maritime and Channel tunnel response options.

Market developments

Oxfordshire. Moving to a fully embedded system. Low cost vehicles / installation options under development. Likely to be a phased approach to purchase of 24 units.

Northamptonshire Spearheaded the development of Cobra in the UK Operates a fully embedded system 19 of 23 Fire trucks. Holds Cobra Academy status in the UK

Isle of Wight. Already fully embedded system. Highly populated island community. Combined Urban Rural and isolated risks.

Market developments

Scotland (Single Service Reform) Fully evaluating for the single Service. Focus on rural agenda. Refresh rate 40 new vehicles per year.

Wales Centralised evaluation & purchasing. Collective arrangements. Strong political involvement.

Ireland Presently evaluating Cobra. Significant financial pressures. Means of enhancing safety and rural cover arrangements.

Key principles

Need to deal with the new financial reality.Need to keep firefighters safe.Need to keep the public safe…..but -Also want to continue to reduce damage and the cost of fire…………this can only be - Achieved by embracing, adapting, or adopting new technology.

Product FocusThe dangers

The tool can become the problem! Over emphasis on cutting at the expense of

cooling. Resistance on the bases of safety. Appears to attack traditional methods. Will be seen as an alternative not

complementary. Will tend to become part of a long evaluation. At worst becomes a specialist tool, and… The specialist tool will not be used. Lack of use will reinforce resistance to make the

purchase decision.

Focusing on the method

Effective application will improve safety, enhance efficiency, and protect the environment. Speed of response = speed of extinction.Responsive to complex buildings, materials and fire loading.

Scalable & integrated

Urban Domestic

High-rise Residential

Rural

Remote / Isolated

Urban Commercial

Large Residential

Complex Residential

Large Commercial

Large Industrial

Complex Retail &

Commercial

High Bay Warehousing

Large Complex Industrial & Commercial

Thermal Image Scanning (TIS) TIS & PPV

Embedding the capability

Fast response specialist units operating as part of a co-

ordinated deployment

Embedded into local community response integrated

with traditional firefighting methods

Isolated Rural

Fully integrated into traditional pumps, operating within a

strategic deployment model

Embedded training and awareness, enhancing

traditional methods

Integrated Urban

Single unit will tend torespond only on request

Tendency to be secondaryto traditional firefighting

methods

Low order secondary impact

Multiple units strategically dispersed on traditional pumps

Lack of training and awarenessLeading to a continual focus on

traditional methods

Marginal impact – low benefit

Singular/ Limited resource

Non-integrated

Fully-integrated

Distributed / Multiple resource

✗ ✗

The cutting extinguisher is:

effective as a tool supporting traditional firefighting operations.

very effective as a first response firefighting method, enhancing traditional tactics.

most effective as an embedded operational system which is fully integrated into all aspects of operational response and command awareness.

Product must follow the method!

Operational Confidence

UK Market Transition

Product focus –Singular purchase / Specialist use.

Lead service break through –Beginning to capture interest.Cynical market conditions prevail.

Focus on method –Product becomes a secondary issue.Key focus✔Strategic confidence✔Embedded philosophy✔Agenda matched

Establishing commitment(10 point plan)

① Not sales – But Awareness.② Enhancing strategic objectives.③ Reinforcing strategic aspirations.④ Engaging employee representatives.⑤ Building relationships.⑥ Support and Coaching.⑦ Creating confidence.⑧ Establishing the need for purchase. ⑨ Aligning coach builders.⑩ Developing critical mass, via embeding Cobra units

based on clear understanding and method development.

The UK purchase decision process(Traditional)

Technical Services -

recognition

Formal report to Senior

management team

Formal evaluation

Formal report to Political leadership

Tender to marketPurchase

The UK purchase decision process(New)

Technical recogniti

onStrategic confiden

ce

Formal evaluatio

nTender

decisionTender to market

Purchase

Influencing strategic decision making

Creating sales through users.Focus on operational opportunity first.Gaining strategic sign up.Creating strong advocates.Formally create distance from negative market agendas.

Technical Services -

recognition

Formal report to Senior

management team

Formal evaluation

Formal report to Political

leadership Tender to market Purchase

Cobra – Method & Strategy

An example from the Netherlands

The Brandweerdoctrine

Offensive inside attack Defensive outside attack ObjectiveFirefighters operate directly within the hazard zone or fire compartment within the building, where benefit outweighs risk – Risk of dynamic and aggressive change in fire conditions will always be present.

ObjectiveFirefighters operate outside the building, outside the collapse zone. Saving the building is no longer an option without excessive risk to firefighting personnel.

Relative Risk

Relative Safety

Tactical Modes

What is the story?

Outside Defensive!

Brandweerdoctrine

Focus on improvements in firefighter safety.Impetus generated from multiple firefighter fatality incident – De Punt Fire, May 9th 2008.Movement towards default defensive position.Development of the Kwadrantenmodel.

Kwadrantenmodel

Relative Risk

Relative Safety

Offensive inside attack Defensive outside attack ObjectiveFirefighters operate directly within the hazard zone or fire compartment within the building, where benefit outweighs risk – Risk of dynamic and aggressive change in fire conditions will always be present.

ObjectiveFirefighters operate outside the building, outside the collapse zone. Saving the building is no longer an option without excessive risk to firefighting personnel.

Relative Risk

Relative Safety

Defensive inside attack ObjectiveRapid response to contain and stabilise the fire from outside the compartment. Create tenable conditions in readiness for offensive compartment attack.

Offensive outside attack ObjectiveRapid response to contain and stabilise the fire from outside. Create tenable conditions in readiness for offensive inside attack.

Outside

Inside

Def

ensi

ve

Offe

nsiv

e

UK Modes – Quadrant Model

Relative RiskRelative

Safety

Cutting Extinguisher & Quandrant Model

Offensive inside attack

Defensive outside attack Offensive outside attack

Defensive inside attack

ObjectiveRapid response to contain and stabilise the fire from outside. Create tenable conditions in readiness for offensive inside attack.

ObjectiveRapid response to contain and stabilise the fire from outside the compartment. Create tenable conditions in readiness for offensive compartment attack.

ObjectiveCOBRA facilitates safer egress into building or compartment for BA operations and traditional firefighting methods.

COBRA Supported rapid internal firefighting intervention into the fire compartment, with lower risk and more effective facilitated BA deployment.

ObjectiveFirefighters operate outside the building, outside the collapse zone. Saving the building is no longer an option without excessive risk to firefighting personnel.

Outside

Inside

ObjectiveFirefighters operate directly within the hazard zone or fire compartment within the building, where benefit outweighs risk – Risk of dynamic and aggressive change in fire conditions will always be present.

Relative Safety

Relative Risk

Def

ensi

ve

Offe

nsiv

e

Outside Defensive

100 m

100 m

Pharmaceutical production site

Production AreasHigh Bay

Warehouse 2

Offices

High Bay Warehouse 1

Loading Bay

HP

HP

HP

COBRA

PPV & COBRA

Inside Defensive Attack?

Integrated Method

Offensive Outside Attack

Defensive Inside Attack

Low Risk Offensive Inside Operations

✔ The application of the cutting extinguisher will, in isolation or when integrated with traditional firefighting methods, significantly reduce the risk to firefighters during structural firefighting operations, whilst also increasing performance and efficiency.

✔ It will facilitate safer and more effective firefighting operations, and will significantly extend the command options within the risk profile of the incident.

✔ When used sequentially, the cutting extinguisher will complement and enhance traditional internal firefighting methods.

✔ Water damage is substantially reduced, and environmental impact is minimised.

Relative Safety

Relative Risk

Enhanced command options

Offensive inside attack

Defensive outside attack Offensive outside attack

Defensive inside attack

Command ObjectiveTo provide an effective means of an offensive attack from the relative safety of a defensive position without the need to expose firefighters to internal risks.

OutcomeRapid control and stablisation of the fire conditions from a position of low risk.

Command ObjectiveTo rapidly respond to a high risk internal compartment fire without the need to significantly increase the risk parameters of the fire situation.

OutcomeFacilitating rapid sequential traditional attack options under significantly safer conditions.

Command ObjectiveCOBRA facilitated faster and More effective operational attack under significantly improved operational conditions:

OutcomeLess Risk to firefighting personnel and remaining building occupancy facilitating more effective operational deployment.

Command ObjectiveTo ensure that firefighting personnel are not exposed to excessive risk, based on the nature of the fire and the potential for structural collapse of the building.

Outcomelimiting fire damage to the boundary of the building resulting in prolonged but safer firefighting operations. Consequence - high levels of damage, social, and environmental impact

Outside

Inside

Def

ensi

ve

Offe

nsiv

e

CommandCutting extinguisher applied within the context of the Quadrant Model will improve speed of attack and firefighting capability for offensive and internal defensive operations.

In effect, it provides commanders with the tactical option of an effective offensive attack from a defensive position.

Traditional offensive compartment firefighting and BA operations will be significantly enhanced due to the speed of offensive cooling prior to opening up the fire compartment.

Once embedded into operational response it will enhance confidence and reduce risk, converting “risk aversion” to risk control.

Enhanced tactical options

The introduction of the Cutting Extinguisher as an embedded system into the command decision process creates the opportunity to extend the present two primary modes in the UK into four distinct options within the Quadrant Model.

A significantly improved level of control over the balance of risk and benefit is maintained within the context of a much wider template of deployment options.

Embedded integrated use of the cutting extinguisher concept -

Combined with the applicationof supportive methods of operational practice. -

Will enhance the safety and efficiency of firefighting operations.

Developing the market

Continue to develop strategic awareness – product & Method.Coach and support the purchase decision.Develop & Support national influencers.Enhance the level of coaching and support to installers. Support market advocates. Focus thinking towards critical mass.

www.coldcutsystems.com

mark.smitherman@coldcutsystems.com