Contact the Firefit Steering Group Members...
If want to find out who the Health & Fitness Practitioners are in your area, share best practice, or need advice with a health related issue then simply get in touch with your area representative below or for any general enquiries please email;
admin@firefitsteeringgroup.co.uk.
The FireFit Steering Group Members, Annual FireFit Conference Aug 2008.
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Gail Cotton, Head of Occupational Health Services.
Leicestershire Fire & Rescue Service
Head of Occupational Health and Safety for Leicestershire Fire & Rescue Service providing occupational health to 20,000 local authority employees and other businesses in the East Midlands. A past President of the Association of Occupational Health Nurse Practitioners (UK).
She represents Occupational Health nurses on regional and national working groups, is on OH Journal Editorial board and lectures OH nurses at Warwick University. Also sits on professional conduct and competence panels for Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Contact Gail here.....
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Aidan Magennis, Group Commander.
Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service.
Aidan joined the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service in 1984 and has served in Operational Stations,
Community Safety and Training. His current role is Group Commander responsible for Occupational
Health & Welfare in a Service of approx 2,300 people. He organised the Firefit conference held in
Belfast in 2004 and has been involved in the Firefit Steering Group since then. Contact Aidan here.....
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Dorileen Forbes, Occupational Fitness Advisor
Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service.
Dorileen is currently the Senior Occupational Fitness Advisor for Lothian and Borders Fire and
Rescue Service having joined in October 2006. She has been involved with the recent implementation
of Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service’s new policy on Firefighters’ Physical Fitness which
involves the routine fitness testing of all operational personnel. Other core functions of her role include, fitness training, fitness
programming and design, nutritional guidance, lifestyle guidance, first aid and manual handling
training. Dorileen graduated with a BSc (honours) degree in Applied Sports Science in 1998 from
The Moray House School of Education, she has since completed a Post Graduate Certificate of
Education at Greenwich University, and her experiences include Lecturing on a variety of Health
and Fitness courses and Teaching Physical Education. Dorileen joined the FireFit Steering Group
in 2006.
Contact Dorileen here.....
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Gary Bankhead, Watch Manager,
County Durham & Darlington Fire & Rescue Service.
Gary has 20 years service in the UK Fire & Rescue Service and is currently based at Durham Fire Station. His interests include sub-aqua diving, running, football (Sunderland AFC) and mountaineering. His most exhilirating moment in his life came while summiting Cerro Aconcagua in Argentina in January 2007. He organises the the Lake District Challenge walk every year in the English Lake District raising funds to support the The Fire Fighters Charity. Gary has been a member of the The FireFit Steering Group for the last 4 years and played an instrumental part in organising the 2009 Annual FireFit Conference in Durham.
You can contact Gary here..... .....Oh and this web site's web master!
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Ian Griffiths, Consultant Occupational Physician.
Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service.
Ian is a Consultant Occupational Physician and has worked as such in the NHS in Nottingham since 2003.
The he is also the occupational physician for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service. He has previously
accompanied Fire Service National Benevolent Fund charity treks and acted as the trek doctor. He tries to
practise what he preaches around healthy lifestyle by playing badminton and walking rather than driving as much as
possible (e.g. to and from the pub!) He has served on the FireFit committee since autumn 2006 and represents the
Association of Local Authority Medical Advisers on the committee. This means he can feed back the work of the
Committee to other Fire Service doctors around the UK, and seek their opinions on fitness matters.
You can Contact Ian here.....
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Clare Boyes, Operations Manager,
Harcombe House, Fire Fighters Charity.
Clare works for the Fire Fighters Charity as an Operations Manager at
Harcombe House. Clare's background is in Health and Exercise and she
worked as an Exercise Therapist at Jubilee Therapy Centre before moving
to Devon to manage the building of the therapy wing at Harcombe and the
development of therapy services there.
Clare is responsible for ensuring that the centre offers excellent
services and she participates in the development of new services across
the Charity.
You can Contact Clare here.....
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Graham Rothwell,
Manchester Fire & Rescue Service.
Graham joined the fire service as a junior fireman in 1977 - for some reason they never ran another junior course again! He served for over 20
years as an operational firefighter before moving to the Training Centre in December 2000. Graham is currently the Brigade Fitness Advisor, Brigade Rope Access Instructor as well as a Swift water Rescue Instructor. He is also a qualified Sports Massage Therapist.
Graham became the Treasurer of the Firefit Steering Group at the end of 2002 and also organised the FireFit conference in Manchester in 2003.
Contact Graham here.....
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Richard Stevenson, Senior Physical Training Adviser.
South Wales Fire & Rescue Service.
Richard is currently the Senior Physical Training Advisor for South Wales Fire & Rescue Service having joined in November of 2003. Prior to that he worked for a medical research company as a research physiologist and for the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff where he lectured exercise physiology whist studying for his MSc. in Exercise Science. Since joining the Fire & Rescue Service Richard has been involved with developing and implementing a number of strategies, which include weight management and non-uniform fitness policies. He has also qualified as a Sports Massage Practitioner with the Sports Massage Association and now offers massage therapy to all Fire Service personnel. He is presently studying at Bristol University for a Post Graduate Diploma in Physical Activity, Nutrition and Public Health. In his short time with the Steering Group, he has been involved with the new National Fire-fighter Selection tests and is very keen on raising the profile of physical fitness within all aspects of the UK Fire & Rescue Service.
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Clare Butler, Service Fitness Advisor
Essex Fire & Rescue Service.
Clare is currently a Service Fitness Advisor at Essex Fire and Rescue Service having joined in February 2007 and worked as a Health Club Manager prior to this. Clare graduated from the University of Hertfordshire with a BSc (Honours) degree in Sport and Exercise Science in 2004 and is now working towards a Masters degree at the University of Essex concentrating on the physiological affects of Breathing Apparatus on professional firefigthers. As a service fitness advisor Clare's role includes recruit and annual fitness testing, fitness programming and advice, remedial training, nutritional and lifestyle guidance, teaching and accessing on an active IQ accredited gym and circuiting training course for watch based PE instructors. Clare joined the Steering Group in July 2009
Contact Clare here.....
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Paul Symington, Fitness Advisor.
Somerset Fire & Rescue Service.
Paul is currently the Physical Fitness & Wellbeing Adviser for Devon & Somerset FRS having joined in April 2003 when he also became a member of the Steering Group. He has been involved with developing and implementing new fitness & health policies including fitness testing and gym provision for all staff. Prior to this position he has worked as a Health & Fitness Club Manager, Personal Trainer and Diet & Nutritional Advisor and has over twenty years experience within the fitness and health industry. As an amateur athlete, he competes in Fencing (Epée, Royal Marine finalist, and Bronze medal winner at the World FF Games 2008), triathlon, cross country running, cycling, and extreme team events. Paul is part of the South West Fitness Group (6 SW region services) and works jointly with Avon and Gloucestershire FRS in delivering Station Fitness Advisors Training. He holds qualifications in nutrition and exercise science.
Contact Paul here.....
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Ian Hammett, Service Fitness Advisor
Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service.
Ian is the Service Fitness Advisor for Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service
and has been in post since October 2005. Ian graduated from University with BSc (Honours)
Sports Science degree and previously worked as a fitness manager. He holds qualifications
in Sports Massage Therapy from the Sports Massage association, Exercise to Music and
Pilates Instruction, as well as personnel training.
Ian’s main roles in Bedfordshire include fitness testing, providing weight management
advice and support, providing soft tissue therapy for all personnel, overseeing
Manual Handling training and implementing service wide policies to maintain the
health and wellbeing of all staff. Ian joined the steering group in July 2007
and is looking forward to driving fitness and wellbeing forward at a national level.
You can contact Ian here.....
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Phil Turner,
Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service.
Phils recent history/qualifications started with completion of BA (Hons) Physical Education and Recreation / Business Management and
Administration from Trinity and All Saints (Leeds) in 1996. He gained experience in fitness instruction and health club management before joining
Lancashire Fire and Rescue in 2000, where he is currently based at Lancaster Fire Station. The opportunity to update and explore new
interests arose during 2006 when he completed an MSc in Exercise and Nutrition Science at The University of Chester.
His recent experience with Lancashire Fire and Rescue has allowed him to developed an interest in Occupational Physiology,
in particular concerning the physical demands of firefighting. More generally Phil enjoys maintaining a good level of fitness,
particularly aimed at indoor rowing. Unfortunately his previous involvement in team sports (hockey) has been sacrificed as weekends
have become just far too precious!
You can contact Phil here.....
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