On the Summit

摘要

JONATHAN O'NEILL, FPA managing director, reflected on Nick Ross' speech at the pre event drinks (see pages 32-34), stating his 'wise words' aligned with the need for 'reflection and the action to take'. He highlighted the importance of events 'setting the agenda for fire for the coming year', musing on 'our views being neglected by government' in the past.The sector 'can't allow infighting to blur our goal', must put differences aside, and 'provide and articulate a strategy' to avoid ministers receiving 'mixed messages - look what happens when they do'. Chair Charlotte Hawkins reflected on her career and experience reporting on Grenfell Tower, noting the press 'felt powerless as spectators', but that the fire 'brought home the issue of fire safety to everyone' by raising an 'awful lot of questions'. She added this was 'positive, but sad that it takes a disaster to effect change - let's not let the lives lost be lost in vain'.