Fire Depot Academy Training Courses Launched!

Following the tragic events of the fire at Grenfell Tower in London earlier this year, fire safety and regulation and the need for qualified and professional technicians has finally had the much-needed attention - outside of the fire industry itself - that it deserves.

However, as those in the industry are already aware, the fire and security industries are facing a skills gap in terms of competent installers, technicians and engineers. There are too few people coming into the industry to replace the experienced and knowledgeable professionals as they retire. Part of the problem seems to be that the Fire industry is largely ‘invisible’ to school and college leavers and without a career path and recognised qualifications, it’s quite hard for them to find out where to begin and where a career might lead.

To help support training and professionalism in the industry, Fire Depot is now proud to launch the Fire Depot Academy with the first course dates announced for January and March 2018.

How can the Academy training help Installers and Maintainers?

These days customers look not just for a good price but also for a reliable and trustworthy service. In a service-based industry, quality of delivery is key so you need your engineers to provide a great service. They are out there on the front line, representing your company and the professional service and knowledge they provide to your customers can really help you stand out from your competitors.

Also, it’s worth bearing in mind that by training your staff, you are more likely to retain them as allowing them to continue developing their skills will help keep them motivated.

The first two courses offered by the Fire Depot Academy are as follows:

29 January 2018: Fire Extinguisher Servicing & Maintenance Refresher Training Course:

A one day refresher course on fire extinguisher servicing and maintenance. The course will provide trained technicians with valuable updates regarding legislation and standards, innovation in fire extinguisher technology and industry best practice, and will ensure compliance with the recommendations of BS 5306 for regular refresher training.

5 – 8 March 2018: Four Day Fire Extinguisher 'New Technician' Course:

Three days of theory and practical training followed by ‘Theory and practice of servicing portable fire extinguishers in accordance with the requirements of BS 5306 Parts 3 and 8’ examination on day four (invigilated by BAFE). The content of the course covers requirements of BS 5306-3 ‘Servicing and Maintenance’ and BS 5306-8 ‘Selecting and Positioning’. Delegates achieving 75% or more in each of the theory and practical assessments will receive the ‘Theory and practice of servicing portable fire extinguishers in accordance with the requirements of BS 5306 Parts 3 and 8’ examination certificate (issued by BAFE). This is part of the requirements in becoming a BAFE SP101 Registered Fire Extinguisher Technician.” For more information on what the course specifically covers, please click here.

Laurie Pollard, Managing Partner at Fire Depot commented: ‘We are proud to have supported the fire trade with our unique partnership approach to business for more than 50 years. The Fire Depot Academy is the next step in providing this support ensuring that our customers have access to professional training to keep their skills, knowledge and expertise up to date. Take up for the courses has already been good so we would encourage anyone who is interested to register and book their place as soon as possible’.

For further information on the courses in January and March and for future dates, please visit the Fire Depot Academy Eventbrite pages.

Keeping commercial and industrial premises safe from fire is a huge responsibility. Fire Depot has been the UK's favourite fire safety supplier for over 50 years. We know the fire protection and prevention business inside out. Our experienced team can offer advice and guidance about any product or fire safety application. For expert help and advice , please contact the Fire Depot team on 0330 999 2233, email us at sales@firedepot.co.uk or visit www.firedepot.co.uk to see our full range of fire safety products.