Research awards support innovation in the Fire and Rescue Service

It is now only five months until this year’s Fire Related Research and Development (RE19) conference comes around again, showcasing a range of work that supports the continued development of fire services in the UK and abroad. Research awards co-sponsor Gore reports

This year’s event takes place on November 13 at West Midlands Fire Service HQ in Birmingham. Once again, one presenter will win the FIRE Magazine/Gore Research Excellence Award and the best poster entry will be recognised at the event.

In order to be considered for the award, delegates who are presenting their research work at the event should submit a summary of their project, using the appropriate template available from FIRE Editor Andrew Lynch at [email protected]

Last year’s FIRE Magazine/Gore Research Excellence Award winners and sponsors: FIRE Editor Andrew Lynch, Katarzyna Lakoma (best poster), Emily Watkins (best presentation), Peter Murphy (best poster) and Gore’s Suzanne Prince

The awards are judged in a range of criteria that includes methodology, technical proficiency, scope of research and contribution to the Fire Service.

Now in their 13th year, the awards were created by FIRE Magazine and W. L. Gore & Associates (UK) Limited to recognise excellence in research in the UK Fire and Rescue Service and encourage the continued development of research-based innovation and ideas that will help to protect communities and firefighters.

At Gore, research plays a vital role in the cycle of product development and innovation and the company attributes the outstanding quality and performance of its products to its dedication and commitment to research.

Gore products protect almost every UK firefighter and are recognised for their quality and performance, which exceed the regulatory standards for compliance. All of Gore’s products are backed by research and development programmes that ensure they fully meet the need for which they are designed. Starting with the promise that “Our products will do want we say they will do”, the company uses a unique integrated development chain to ensure that its products live up to their performance promise.

Gore stands behind the consistent performance of every one of its products and every year invests around ten per cent of turnover in research and development, with state of the art laboratory testing facilities that are used to ensure every fabric will meet its performance claims.

Every product has to satisfy a stringent testing regime before it is made available to the market. The company has developed unique climate chambers and rain towers to simulate a variety of environmental conditions. Its Biophysics and Flame Protection labs allow Gore engineers to measure the properties of component materials, laminates and fully constructed garments, as well as footwear.

Gore takes a research and science-based approach to sustainability and uses the ISO standardised Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method of environmental assessment for its products and services.

The company’s continued investment in research has resulted in a range of ground-breaking products such as GORE-TEX Moisture Barrier with GORE® CROSSTECH® Product Technology as well as the revolutionary GORE-TEX Moisture Barrier with GORE® CROSSTECH® Product Technology GORE® PARALLON® System.

All Gore fire products are certified to EN469, AS/NZ 4967 and the Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX®. Gore’s stringent process for quality assurance ensures that buyers who specify GORE-TEX Moisture Barriers can have absolute confidence in the integrity of the garment and that it is completely fit for purpose. Every day, the company lives up to its quality and performance promise.

Fire Editor

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