A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) officer has been appointed as the only European Director of an international organisation dedicated to eliminating deaths, injuries and losses through fire.
Founded in 1896, the US-based National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a not-for-profit organisation carrying out extensive research to develop training, standardise practices and improve the safety of both the public and frontline firefighters around the world.
Assistant Chief Officer Robert Scott was voted onto the executive board of the NFPA’s Fire Service Section at its annual general meeting in Chicago last month.
With the global organisation boasting more than 65,000 members his appointment forges a clear link between the SFRS and its counterparts overseas.
ACO Scott said: “I was delighted to be voted onto the executive board. The NFPA brings together officers from around the world, giving us the chance to share knowledge and benefit from each other’s experience.
“Wherever they serve firefighters are devoted to saving lives and that shared commitment means we’re always eager to understand how things are done elsewhere and learn from each other.
“It’s an opportunity to share our experiences with those of colleagues from some of the world’s largest and most prestigious fire and rescue services and it reflects the high regard in which the SFRS is held.”
With more than 26 years’ service in frontline roles, training and senior management, ACO Scott was recently awarded the Queen’s Fire Service Medal – the highest accolade for fire service personnel throughout the Commonwealth.
Since the launch of the national service in April 2013 he has been a member of the SFRS Strategic Leadership team, serving first as the director of service delivery for the north before becoming director of strategic planning, performance and communications earlier this year.
He will continue in this SFRS post and will carry out his new role on a voluntary basis. The NFPA will meet all costs associated with travel and subsistence related to his attendance at its board meetings.
Commenting on this appointment, the SFRS’s Chief Officer Alasdair Hay said: “This is clearly a great honour for ACO Scott and it also highlights the standing of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service within the global fire service community.
“We will always be committed to providing a truly world-class service, both in responding to emergencies and undertaking proactive work to prevent them from happening in the first place.”
“Close links with our counterparts at home and abroad are incredibly valuable,” he added. “Seeing how others approach new challenges and respond to new information will help us to maintain the highest standards and benefit our communities and our crews.”
For more information, go to www.nfpa.org
