IFEDA elects new Chairman

IFEDA, the Independent Fire Engineering & Distributors Association, is pleased to announce that Paul Wilkinson has been unanimously elected as the new Chairman of the Association at the recent AGM.

Wilkinson has been a member of the Association for 6 years, and has worked in the fire industry for over 30 years having set up his own company, Fire and Safety Solutions Limited. As director of this company his business has looked after the housing stock for City West Homes in addition to providing fire safety products and services to commerce, educational and blue-chip companies such as Coca Cola, British Sugar and the Royal Albert Hall.

Wilkinson commented: “I feel there is a need in the industry to ensure that individuals, as well as companies are registered and certified in their profession. We see too many certified companies using unqualified individuals under their umbrella. I look forward to building working relationships with other trade bodies for the good of the fire industry and the general public.

We are going through a great period of change within the industry with the implementation of new qualifications, such as individual’s FQual level 3, and proposed new technologies in the fire extinguisher sector. I embrace these new standards and await with interest the outcome of the proposed new technologies.

It has been a tough year for the industry with Covid-19, Brexit, shipping costs increasing but I hope as Chairman of IFEDA, I can support the fire industry so that IFEDA can continue providing high quality advice and training to our industry.

I will work tirelessly to represent IFEDA, as well as the industry, throughout the ongoing challenges we are faced with.”

Graham Ferris, General Manager at IFEDA added: “We are pleased to welcome Paul as our latest Chairman. With his vast experience in the fire protection industry, not least as a member of FSH-2, (the BSI fire extinguisher steering group), various BAFE schemes, and part of the initial working group for BAFE scheme SP206 I am sure he will be a great asset both to IFEDA and the wider fire industry. In line with the post Grenfell Hackitt report IFEDA is a firm advocate of third-party accreditation and given Paul’s ethics with regards to quality standards, IFEDA is in safe hands