Over 30 Years Fire Safety Experience
With over 30 years fire safety experience gained at; Rolls Royce, Jacobs, Capita, and the Fire Service.
Our founding Director is a highly respected figure in the healthcare sector, providing fire engineering advice and solutions across a range of acute, community, and primary care settings. Darren serves as the Authorising Engineer (Fire) for multiple NHS Trusts nationally, working on various projects including new build hospitals, and most recently, Nightingale hospitals, National Laboratory testing centres, and mass vaccination centres in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He regularly chairs Qualitative Design Reviews, HAZOPs, and FMEAs, providing NHS Trusts with fire safety assurance. Darren has designed fire strategies using a wide range of local, national, and international codes and standards, offering fire-engineered solutions. Previously, he held positions at international engineering companies, working on both national and international projects, including Oil & Gas, Nuclear, Airports, and Rail. He is a chartered member of IOSH and a full member of IFE, IHEEM, and APS.
A particular area of interest for Darren is the quality governance of fire safety/engineering in the design of hospitals.
Cheryl’s career has provided her with the opportunity to work on diverse projects, ranging from small commercial ventures to high-risk/high-rise projects such as hospitals, flats, shopping centres, educational establishments, and offices, among others. She has worked in both the public and private sectors, and these experiences have equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of the complexities and challenges facing the built environment. Over the last five years, Cheryl has primarily focused on fire safety.
Throughout her professional journey, she has developed strong leadership skills and fostered collaborative efforts to achieve common goals. She previously served as the chair for safety at sports grounds and more recently became a committee member of the CABE. Cheryl firmly believes in the power of effective communication and continuous learning, and she lectures on fire safety.
Cheryl holds multiple qualifications in fire safety and construction, including a First-Class Honours Degree in Building Surveying and the Environment, Chartered Membership of the CABE and IFE, Fire Risk Assessor certification, Fire Safety Design and Management in Healthcare Premises (HTM), and Level 6 Fire Safety Specialist accreditation. In her current role, she acts as the Authorising Engineer for Fire for Hospitals, providing fire safety advice on technical fire safety for various building types.
With 16 years of experience in fire engineering, including positions at Jacobs and the London Fire Brigade’s Fire Safety Department, she holds a Master’s degree in Fire Engineering (Hons) and is a Member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) and the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE). Throughout her career, she has been involved in various fire safety projects, including High-rise residential, Retail, Offices, Commercial, Hospitals, Nuclear, Aviation, Industrial, Pharmaceutical, and Mining sectors. More recently, she has undertaken reviews of non-combustible facades and EWS1 forms, as well as smoke control in extended corridors.
She has completed projects both nationally and internationally.
Andrew’s career spans over 40 years in the construction industry, including 28 years in Building Control, 5 years with a Local Fire & Rescue Service, and a year with the Building Safety Regulator. During this time, he has gained extensive experience working on various projects, ranging from hospitals and healthcare premises to large commercial developments such as shopping centres, theatres, and cinemas. He has also been involved in high-risk residential buildings, nuclear licensed sites, educational developments, heritage, and major conservation projects.
Andrew is a chartered building engineer with CABE and holds multiple qualifications, including a Master’s degree in Architectural Conservation, Fire Safety Design and Management in Healthcare Premises (HTM), Postgraduate Certificate in Management, Level 7 Advanced Certificate in Legal Skills in Investigation, and Level 4 Diploma in Fire Safety (FDIS Diploma). He has presented at seminars and lectured on building control and fire safety. Andrew maintains his Continuous Professional Development (CPD) as a requirement of his charterships.
John is an accomplished Health and Safety professional, holding a NEBOSH Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety, and is a Chartered Member of IOSH (CMIOSH). He further enhances his expertise with a NEBOSH Diploma in Environmental Risk Management, as well as NEBOSH and FPA qualifications in Fire Safety Risk Management. Additionally, John is recognised as an Associate Member of the Institute of Fire Safety Managers (AIFSM).
John’s career began in the Textiles industry, where he served as a manager for nearly two decades, notably spending 12 years in South Africa. During this time, he was responsible for planned preventative maintenance and oversaw capital projects. His experience in Cotton textiles highlighted the critical issue of fire hazards stemming from dust accumulation within the process, compounded by potential ignition from sparks generated by the carding process. This ignited John’s passion for adeptly managing fire safety measures, prioritising the protection of both individuals and machinery.
In 2008, John transitioned into environmental risk management, initially working on an energy-from-waste project in Uganda. Subsequently, he lent his expertise to a prominent North American firm in Libya, specialising in waste oil reclamation. John’s return to the UK in 2012 marked a full-time commitment to his homeland.
Renowned for his personable demeanour and dependable advisory skills, John excels in translating client requirements into tangible actions. His tenure within the NHS spans over three years, where he serves as a Fire Safety Support consultant. In this role, he conducts AE Fire audits, performs comprehensive fire risk assessments, delivers fire safety training, and meticulously reviews fire safety management systems and policies.
Sophie joined the team in June 2014 as office administrator. She directly handles financial matters such as client billing, accounts payable, payroll and banking. She oversees the day to day running of the company and supports the team with administrative tasks.
