CFPA Diplomas
Increasingly being seen as an industry 'standard', the CFPA Diplomas offer a Europe-wide recognised qualification in fire safety management and prevention. Howard Passey explains
WITH AROUND 140 UK students currently studying towards the CFPA Diploma in Fire Prevention in the UK, in excess of 17,500 students awarded with the European Diploma worldwide to date, and routes available to membership of the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) and the Institute of Fire Safety Managers at various grades, the potential for improving professional expertise in the area of fire safety through the CFPA Diplomas route is undisputed.
In 1992, an initiative led by the UK resulted in the launch of a new qualification in fire safety matters which would be recognised throughout Europe. Cooperation between the UK Fire Protection Association (FPA) and the then 13 other members of the Confederation of European Fire Protection Associations Europe (CFPA Europe) resulted in the development of the CFPA Europe Diploma in Fire Prevention.
Founded in 1974, CFPA Europe is the organisation which links the official fire safety associations that exist in the European Union and European Free Trade Area. It draws on the extensive resources of its members in working for increasingly high standards of fire safety and the reduction of losses throughout Europe. This work has obviously assumed greater importance as a result of the abolition of trade barriers and the ongoing work towards the harmonisation of standards.
The qualifications are aimed at fire safety managers, risk managers and consultants in industrial, commercial and local authority settings, as well as those simply wishing to gain an in-depth knowledge of fire prevention issues.
Applicants need not be in possession of a first degree. There are a number of routes into the Diploma, and prior learning or existing qualifications may be taken into account. Those with a mixture of prior qualifications, skills and experience will be considered. Students are assessed prior to acceptance and may be offered a choice of study options where available, usually over a one- or two-year period. These may be on a full- or part-time basis or, where appropriate, on a flexible correspondence/tutored programme. Many associations also provide conversion courses, allowing students with qualifications in other disciplines to prepare for the examinations.
Similarly, the syllabus of the Advanced CFPA Diploma is deemed to meet the academic requirements necessary for application for the IFE grade of Graduate. This programme of study includes a five-day Advanced Fire Safety Management course, and directed coursework on fire risk management, and emergency and disaster planning. Students are also required to complete a 10,000-word project on a suitable fire-related topic, which is assessed by a panel of recognised fire safety experts.
In maintaining the link between the CFPA qualifications and membership of the IFE, a route is available to those looking the attain Member-level membership of the Institution.
Through a comparison of CFPA and IFE syllabuses and gap analysis, requirements for an enhanced project, along with a specific supplementary course, were proposed in order to cover the noted gaps. The dissertation or project completed by students toward attainment of the Advanced CFPA Diploma may be submitted for ratification by IFE to partly satisfy the additional requirements and to resolve remaining deficiencies. Generally, in the area of fire engineering science, an examinable five-day CFPA Advanced Diploma Progression course is available.
The primary aim of this short course is to complete the academic requirements necessary to allow successful candidates to apply for membership of the IFE at Member grade and register at a suitable grade with the Engineering Council.
Sure enough, these unique awards from CFPA Europe, demonstrably supported by the European insurance industry and professional associations, are increasingly becoming recognised as the industry 'standard' for professionals wishing to gain both national and international accreditation
Howard Passey is education and training director at the FPA
More information on the CFPA Diplomas is available from the FPA on e-mail: training@thefpa.co.uk or tel: +44 (0)208 884 4050
In 1992, an initiative led by the UK resulted in the launch of a new qualification in fire safety matters which would be recognised throughout Europe. Cooperation between the UK Fire Protection Association (FPA) and the then 13 other members of the Confederation of European Fire Protection Associations Europe (CFPA Europe) resulted in the development of the CFPA Europe Diploma in Fire Prevention.
Founded in 1974, CFPA Europe is the organisation which links the official fire safety associations that exist in the European Union and European Free Trade Area. It draws on the extensive resources of its members in working for increasingly high standards of fire safety and the reduction of losses throughout Europe. This work has obviously assumed greater importance as a result of the abolition of trade barriers and the ongoing work towards the harmonisation of standards.
Pan-European qualifications
The CFPA Diplomas are qualifications offered by member organisations on behalf of CFPA Europe. The Diploma in Fire Prevention was the first pan-European qualification in this field to recognise a common level of attainment. Through the creation of this qualification, all member associations have agreed to follow similar procedures and to apply a common syllabus and examination criteria. The original Diploma syllabus was developed by a working group of CFPA and allows each participating association the flexibility of deciding how the training will be provided and how eligible exempting awards will be.The qualifications are aimed at fire safety managers, risk managers and consultants in industrial, commercial and local authority settings, as well as those simply wishing to gain an in-depth knowledge of fire prevention issues.
Applicants need not be in possession of a first degree. There are a number of routes into the Diploma, and prior learning or existing qualifications may be taken into account. Those with a mixture of prior qualifications, skills and experience will be considered. Students are assessed prior to acceptance and may be offered a choice of study options where available, usually over a one- or two-year period. These may be on a full- or part-time basis or, where appropriate, on a flexible correspondence/tutored programme. Many associations also provide conversion courses, allowing students with qualifications in other disciplines to prepare for the examinations.
UK and Advanced Diplomas
The UK Diploma is structured to require students to complete a one-week residential Fire Risk Assessment and Fire Safety Management course, which includes directed project work and assessment, followed by a series of eight study units on various aspects of fire safety on a correspondence basis. Students are provided with supporting documentation and bibliographies for each of the study units; access through the FPA website, www.thefpa.co.uk, to the full suite of FPA publications, including Fire Risk Management; and access to a single point of contact within the FPA, who will act as a mentor and deal with any specific difficulties experienced. Award of the Diploma is dependent on the student's success in the final examinations. Upon completion, successful students are deemed to have achieved the academic requirements necessary for application to the IFE for membership at the grade of Technician.Similarly, the syllabus of the Advanced CFPA Diploma is deemed to meet the academic requirements necessary for application for the IFE grade of Graduate. This programme of study includes a five-day Advanced Fire Safety Management course, and directed coursework on fire risk management, and emergency and disaster planning. Students are also required to complete a 10,000-word project on a suitable fire-related topic, which is assessed by a panel of recognised fire safety experts.
In maintaining the link between the CFPA qualifications and membership of the IFE, a route is available to those looking the attain Member-level membership of the Institution.
Through a comparison of CFPA and IFE syllabuses and gap analysis, requirements for an enhanced project, along with a specific supplementary course, were proposed in order to cover the noted gaps. The dissertation or project completed by students toward attainment of the Advanced CFPA Diploma may be submitted for ratification by IFE to partly satisfy the additional requirements and to resolve remaining deficiencies. Generally, in the area of fire engineering science, an examinable five-day CFPA Advanced Diploma Progression course is available.
The primary aim of this short course is to complete the academic requirements necessary to allow successful candidates to apply for membership of the IFE at Member grade and register at a suitable grade with the Engineering Council.
Industry standard
The FPA has been delivering practical-based qualifications since its founding in the mid-1940s. The FPA's own Diploma was the precursor to the CFPA qualifications, and the first 12 successful candidates received their FPA Diplomas from Lord Carr, the then chairman of the Prudential Assurance Company and a former Home Secretary, at the launch of National Fire Safety Week in 1984. At the presentation, Lord Carr said: 'I am sure that, as time goes by, these FPA Diplomas will be increasingly used as a yardstick to measure professional expertise in the subject.'Sure enough, these unique awards from CFPA Europe, demonstrably supported by the European insurance industry and professional associations, are increasingly becoming recognised as the industry 'standard' for professionals wishing to gain both national and international accreditation
Howard Passey is education and training director at the FPA
More information on the CFPA Diplomas is available from the FPA on e-mail: training@thefpa.co.uk or tel: +44 (0)208 884 4050
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