A record number of visitors attended the award-winning Emergency Services Show at the NEC on 21 and 22 September. The UK’s largest event for the emergency services attracted over 10,100 visitors and buyers for the first time in its history, with strong representation from across all the emergency services including police, fire & rescue, ambulance, and search & rescue.
The show’s visitors attended a programme of over 80 CPD-accredited seminars running in six theatres covering Lessons Learnt, Emerging Technologies, Health & Wellbeing, Future Policing, the College of Paramedics and, new this year, First Responder which focused on improving collaboration between the emergency services and security industries.
The indoor and outdoor exhibition featured over 450 exhibitors where visitors could source new technology and products from the leading names in public safety, medical & fire-fighting equipment, vehicles, drones, command & control, satellite & blended communications, search & rescue, extrication, water rescue, CBRNE, first response, protective clothing & uniforms, training, community safety, and station facilities.
In the Lessons Learnt Theatre, Dr Iryna Rybinkina, Consultant cardiothoracic anaesthetist and CEO of Smart Medical Aid shared her unique insights from operating in a European war zone in Inspiration from the Ukrainian Front Line.
For Dr Rybinkina, the show was like visiting a candy shop. “There are so many interesting new gadgets. I’m really enjoying it. I think it’s very important to get people together in one room so they can keep talking and collaborating on different projects.”
Speaking in the Future Policing Theatre, Lord Bernard Hogan Howe, former Chief Constable of the Metropolitan Police said: “What’s really important about these shows is that you see new ideas. If you don’t see the new technology, the new ways of doing things, you carry on doing what you’ve always done and that means you’re trapped in the past. If you can get new technology that really helps you to stop crime, why wouldn’t you?”
“We’ve had really in-depth conversations with customers from across all the emergency services, so maritime and coastguard, police, fire. I’ve just had an order for 56 cars,” said Helen Aldred, Public Sector Manager, South, Toyota (GB) PLC.
“What a great show it’s been,” said David Savage, Group Executive Chairman of Excelerate Technology Group. “One of the busiest ESS’s for a long time with the right mix of existing customers and new opportunities.”
“It’s a great chance to meet new clients, existing clients, to generate new opportunities, to talk to a large client base, and to have a look at what else is on offer around the show,” said Daniel Abrahams, Applications Engineer, Hexagon.
Typical of show visitors, Steve Pagett, Fire Fighter at the London Fire Brigade commented: “It’s always interesting to see what new gear is coming in and how it’s going to help the services. Events like this are so important because it gives everyone an idea where the cutting edge is.”
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