Fire Industry Association issues comprehensive Annual Report for 2023

In order to address this expansion, the FIA has realigned internally to make its operations even more dynamic. The organisation has actively strengthened its resources in critical areas such as marketing, content generation, technology, membership and training.

Moreover, the Trade Association has expanded its presence by opening a Northern hub in Northwich, Cheshire, which features a state-of-the-art training and event centre complete with a ‘Centre of Excellence’ demonstration space designed to showcase the systems and products developed by FIA members.

In addition, only last month the FIA established FIA Cyprus as an operational unit. This will serve as a prototype for launches in other international territories. The launch involved 15 FIA member companies from the UK and revolved around a Fire Summit, which was the first of its kind to be staged in Cyprus.

Third party benefits

The FIA is constantly adding to its third party benefits portfolio that’s available to FIA members. Members benefit from access to discounted rates and specialised services from expert partners.

For 2023, the FIA has recently strengthened its partnerships with the British Standards Institution, management consultants, sales and marketing advisors, fuel card providers and others in a concerted bid to further increase the value of its offer to the membership.

Main points

Some of the main points covered in the FIA’s Annual Report are as follows:

*Membership

The FIA has experienced membership growth this year, with 96 companies joining and only nine expressing dissatisfaction. The FIA also offers a route to certification package for those companies seeking third party certification.

*Training

The Fire Detection and Alarm (FD&A) qualification courses have been a key focus of FIA training with essential support from FireQual. Plans are underway to expand the range of qualifications, including the BS 5839-1 Fundamentals in FD&A and the four Advanced Qualifications. Further, the FIA is adapting its Continuing Professional Development courses to include online learning.

*Marketing

The Trade Association’s social media engagement and website traffic have significantly increased, with an average of 6,332 monthly impressions and 42,000 LinkedIn followers now on board, in turn indicating a larger and more impactful digital footprint.

*FIA Councils

The FIA’s Councils, which are at the forefront of the industry, continue to offer crucial advice to the sector.

*Events

The FIA has increased its event resources this year by appointing an events manager, namely Ryan Brassil, resulting in an exciting programme of events for this year and into 2024.

*Download copies of the Fire Industry Association Annual Report 2023