A Brief History of Fire Prevention Courses at the Fire Service College: 1944-2000, and a look to the future of fire safety

摘要

The establishment in 1941 of the National Fire Service in the UK gave rise to the need for standardisation of training, particularly of officers and specialists. The UK Home Office therefore acquired the Ocean Hotel in Saltdean to establish the National College which opened in Autumn 1941. An earlier proposal for a National Fire Service College to be established at Borehamwood with the Fire Research Station was not followed through when the Fire Brigades Act 1938 was implemented and, in 1939, had been abandoned. Prior to 1939, several brigades, notably the London Fire Brigade, had operated well-developed fire prevention branches, but there was no nationally accepted policy or practice. Soon after the opening of the College, proposals were made to introduce a course in this discipline, but this had to wait while other training needs were met. In July 1944 Commander Firebrace, Chief of the Fire Staff, convened a conference at Saltdean to discuss the establishment of a fire prevention course.