The ingenuity it takes to reduce build costs and increase floor space through inventive fire design is all down to experience.
Jim spent 28 years with the London Fire Service, during which time he trained as a Chartered Fire Engineer and became Head of the service’s Fire Engineering department.
“Any experienced fireman understands how fire behaves and how a building’s design can affect its path,” comments Jim, “but my fire engineering experience means that I can also provide practical solutions for improving a building’s design. I used to do approvals for the whole of Greater London and provide consultancy support for other fire services who didn’t have as much in house expertise, so I know what they’re looking for from both sides of the fence.”
Jim left the fire service in 2006 to become an independent consultant and has worked with FDS Consult UK ever since.
“I have noticed that a lot more architects and developers are becoming more aware of the value engineering benefits of bringing in expert fire consultants,” Jim continues, “but often we’re brought in late in the design process at which point making changes to the scheme can be expensive. Ideally we need to be brought it right at the beginning, then we can help clients understand how fire safety legislation applies to them, design in fire engineering solutions to maximise floorspace and reduce costs and, if required, help them develop a fire management plan.”
Jim’s passion for fire engineering is palpable, and, it seems, he is perfectly balanced as his other obsession is being out on the water.
“I love sailing,” Jim adds. “I sailed down to the Med from Portsmouth last year and I’m hoping to sail across to Turkey next, with a view to tackling the Atlantic at some point…”
