University to launch a blazing partnership

The University has joined forces with County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service to provide accreditation for the service’s existing training in the form of a Foundation Degree (FD) in Fire Investigation.

The first cohort of ten officers will enrol on the FD in October. The two year course is tailored towards very senior, experienced officers who have specialised in fire scene investigation, and who wish to achieve a qualification to support their career development.

The curriculum will cover all aspects of skills required for fire investigation, including evidence gathering and excavation, methodology of fire scene examination, electrical fires, court room skills and court room presentations.

A positive move forward Lee Aspery, Fire Investigation Manager with County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, said: ‘This Foundation Degree is a positive move forward. We are required to work in partnership with the police and forensic partners.

‘This course will help in training up our fire scene investigators to work more formally with a higher degree of confidence alongside the police’s forensic providers.

‘Nationally the law changed three years ago, giving fire investigators as many, if not more, powers than police forensic investigators. The Foundation Degree formalises this change.

‘Major incidents such as the Kings Head Hotel fire in Darlington last year, which are beyond just fire damage, require high quality skills, appropriate knowledge and authority to investigate the causes. That’s where this degree comes in.’

Fiona Smith, Business Account Manager in the University’s School of Science & Technology, added: ‘Teesside is an employer facing University and this new degree provides further evidence of this, supporting the close work we are already undertaking with several police forces.

‘This course could develop to fire services throughout the UK and eventually even to those in the European Union.’

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