Retained Duty System Seminar - Speaker presentations

Please find below the list of speakers at the recent Retained Duty Seminar held at RAF Cosford on 12 July. Details include their biographies and presentations.

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(::inline[0]::) Phil Clarke

Phil is the Retained Project Manager for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service. He began his service in Shropshire as a retained firefighter in 1979 before joining the wholetime ranks in 1983. In 2005, Phil led a Project Team which carried out a Best Value Review on the Retained Duty System (RDS) in Shropshire. The review which included a comprehensive consultation exercise with RDS personnel and their partners produced 27 recommendations resulting in a total investment of £824,000 in the RDS during 2006/07, rising to £1,107,000 in 2009/10.

(::inline[1]::) Martin Henderson

Area manager for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Martin is 41 years of age and joined the Service in 1983. He is currently responsible for the RDS operations function within the Intervention Directorate of the Service. Martin's previous role was Head of Training and Development until mid 2006. He is also currently involved with RDS/IPDS national working group due to his areas of exposure in training and development and RDS arenas.

(::inline[2]::) Chris Millard

Chris Millard has served in Avon Fire and Rescue Service since 1977 in several operational and staff development roles, including Service Training Manager and Unitary Authority Area Fire Risk Manager. He has been seconded to the Department of Communities and Local Government (CLG) since January 2004, in the Integrated Personal Development System Project, and is currently working as the Team Leader within the project. He has been involved in the Gambia and Avon Fire Services in Partnership (GAFSIP) charity since 1993, making regular visits to The Gambia to coordinate the training of fire and ambulance personnel.

Chris is a Graduate of the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) and has gained an MA Management from the University of the West of England. He is currently undertaking the Chartered Manager Award.

(::inline[3]::) Glynn Davies

Glynn is one of Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service's 8 Retained Support Officers (RSO), a position he has held since it was introduced in August 2006.

Glynn joined Shropshire as a retained duty system firefighter in November 1994. In December 2000 he was promoted to crew manager and he continues to serve in that capacity when he is not carrying out his RSO duties.

(::inline[4]::) Philip Powell

Phil is the Senior Fire and Rescue Adviser for Operations and New Dimension in the CLG Transition Team (Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser's Unit). He began his service in Hertfordshire in 1975 and served for 28 years before joining Her Majesty's Fire Services' Inspectorate (HMFSI) on secondment as Operational Practices Team Leader in 2005.

In 2006, Phil joined the Operational Assessment of Service Delivery teams and spent 14 weeks working in the field. He visited seven fire and rescue services and reviewed their operational practices in relation to both wholetime and RDS personnel. Phil is also an Additional Inspector for OFSTED and was previously an Associate Adult Learning Inspector.

(::inline[5]::) Vera Bell MA (Hons) MCIPD

Vera is Head of Human Resources and People Development at Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service. Vera has worked for LFRS for just over 3 years. Prior to this she was employed by Local Government East Midlands as HR Consultant, supporting the modernisation agenda in Local Government. Vera has also been employed as HR Manager at Melton Borough Council and Leicester Housing Association. A significant amount of her career has been spent at Leicester City Council in a variety of HR roles including Senior Employee Relations Advisor for Social Services.

Vera has responsibility and a particular interest in equality and diversity issues.

Before progressing with her career in HR, Vera attended Leicester University as a mature student where she gained a BA (Honors) degree in Social and economic history/politics. Following this she attended Demontfort University and obtained a diploma in Personnel which gave her automatic membership of Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. She was awarded Corporate membership in 1996.

(::inline[6]::) Sue Evans

Sue Evans is Head of the National Assessment Unit with responsibility for leading and supporting the implementation Assessment Development Centres (ADCs) and National Firefighter Selection across the Fire and Rescue Services (FRS).

For the past three years she has led the national Assessment Development Centre (ADC) project which successfully delivered the assessment tools for ADCs which are now being used in almost all FRAs.

Previously Sue worked as Head of Staff Development and Training for the Fire Service College which she joined following completion of a short service commission in the army.

Sue is committed to individual and organisational development and has spent most of her working life leading and supporting initiatives which promote learning and development and organisational improvement.

The National Assessment Unit is based at the Fire Service College and welcomes visitors. For all enquiries please contact 01608 653 948.

(::inline[7]::) Kevin Butcher

Kevin joined Hampshire Fire Brigade in 1976. Throughout his career he has served in both training and operations at various levels. He is now in the Service Delivery Directorate of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service in charge of community response.

In May this year, Kevin joined the RDS Task and Finish group, chaired by Brian Frasier, with the specific reference for establishing sustainable mechanisms for capturing and sharing good practice in the Retained Service.

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