Reflecting on learning from fires and other emergencies around the world, Neil Gibbins will share examples of the application of intelligence to drive down risk. Countries that have achieved low levels of fire fatalities for the size of their population, those who have applied novel building design controls and those who are taking new approaches to fighting fires will be examined. The systems for gathering data and using it to predict failures and make any emergency response as safe as practicable will also be explored. The differences between countries, due to climate, culture and social demographics will be considered. A clear focus will be placed on those areas that apply a continuum approach to safety, using prevention as the base target at design stage, achieving compliance during construction and occupation, and informing any operational response to an emergency if the former steps fail.

The role of The Institution of Fire Engineers in this process, bringing together fire professionals from around the world, forming special interest groups and creating examinations to help improve technical knowledge will be discussed. As the Institution closes in on its Centenary in 2018, Neil will explore the potential for the future for fire and safety engineering, mapping the journey over the last 100 years and looking forward to the next.