The prestigious award was presented to Pat by Paul McNaughton, president of the Electrical Contractors’ Association, and the FSA’s chairman Steve Kimber at the organisation’s Annual Luncheon, held this week at The Drapers Hall in the City of London.
The event was attended by the great and good of the building services engineering and fire, security and risk management industries, including the SIA’s chairman Baroness Henig of Lancaster, Sir Ian Johnston (director of security and resilience at LOCOG), The Security Institute’s general manager Di Thomas, Worshipful Company of Security Professionals Master Gerald Moor and NSI CEO Jeff Little.
FSA chairman Steve Kimber said: “I have known, and worked alongside, this gentleman for many, many years and consider him a good friend and trusted colleague. He’s an immensely popular, enthusiastic and passionate individual who has dedicated his career to improving the industry for installers and customers alike.”
Pat Allen is vice-chairman of the FSA, chairman of its Fire and Security Technical Committee, the FSA representative on the Technical Development Committee at the ECA, FSA representative at the ACPO Police Security Systems Group and on various CFOA committees.
He’s a trustee for Summit Skills, the Sector Skills Council for Building Services Engineering, and a member of its Finance and Audit Committee. Pat’s also a member of the ECA Education and Training Committee and a member of the Skills for Security Mechanical and Systems Fire Sector Consultation Group.
From 2008-2010 he represented the interests of the FSA on the committee that worked with CFOA to produce the CFOA Protocol for the Reduction of False Alarms and Unwanted Fire Signals. This protocol is intended to address all false alarm issues in an effective way. It provides a strategy allowing a consistent approach which can be adopted nationally and meets the needs of both the industry and services.
However, as many regional fire brigades have chosen not to adopt the protocol and some have launched their own competing protocols, Pat’s now working tirelessly – through his own company and the FSA – to harmonise the relationship between the fire service and the industry both to improve efficiency and public safety.
Launched by the Electrical Contractors’ Association back in January 2007, the FSA operates as a division within the Association’s framework and acts as its ‘policy engine’ for the fire and security systems sector.
For membership enquiries or further information on the FSA visit the website