Justin Francis has 20 years’ experience within Queensland Fire and Rescue with a significant amount of operational experience gained whilst working as a Station Officer in the CBD of Brisbane. He performed the role of Incident Controller at many tall building incidents but has also had extensive experience working in the Building Approval section liaising with the Building Development Sector. In recent years Justin combined his operational knowledge as a Fire Fighter with the knowledge on building design and building systems to develop a course across Queensland that teaches all Fire Fighters on the subject of Fire Fighting in Tall Buildings. He is also part of Queensland’s International USAR deployment team. His academic qualifications are a Bachelor Degree in Emergency Management from Charles Sturt University.

In recent years Justin has been positioned as the Australian Representative on the Tall Building Fire Safety Network and presented at the yearly Tall Building Fire Safety Conference in London. He has sat on panels with Deputy Commissioners Internationally and numerous other panels as a content expert for Tall Building Fire Safety.

D.O.B: 7/22/1958

Entered Chicago Fire Department: 2/19/1980
Promoted to Lieutenant: 8/1/1993
Received Emergency Medical Technician License: 6/1/1998
Promoted to Captain: 12/1/2000
Received Hazardous Material Technician Certification: 8/25/2006
Received Safety Officer Certification: 12/22/2006
Promoted to Battalion Chief: 3/16/2007
Assigned to Downtown Battalion 1: 3/1/2009 to Present
Other Certifications:

USA Homeland Security Emergency Management Institute Courses:

• Incident Command System
• National Incident Management System
• Resource Management
• All Hazard Incident Management

Illinois Fire Service Institute Certificates:

• Command and General Staff Functions
• Weapons of Mass Destruction Unified Command
• Emergency Response to Terrorism
• Active Shooter Incident Command

Barry Lynham is the current President of Fire Safe Europe (http://firesafeeurope.eu/).

Fire Safe Europe was founded in 2011 by a group of European fire experts, fire fighters and related associations. It was founded with the aim of bringing fire safety in buildings higher on the agenda of European policy makers, and of improving fire safety for European citizens. Today the group works closely with EU Institutions and national governments for fire safety standards.

Barry Lynham is also Group Director for Strategy and Communication at Knauf Insulation having responsibility for Group Strategy, Global Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability.

He earlier worked as Director of Climate and Energy at The Centre, a Brussels-based consultancy and think-tank. He started his career working at the European Commission, DG Environment, where he was responsible for drafting legislation on CO2 from cars. Barry studied English and French law at University.

Mark’s fire service career spanned over 32 years serving in three different UK fire and rescue services, culminating in him leading Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service as Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive for six years until March 2016. During Mark’s extensive career he held numerous specialist roles, also at various times being a Director of operational response, fire safety and training.

In December 2005, as Deputy Chief Fire Officer of Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and Incident Commander, he successfully led the fire fighting operations at the Buncefield Oil Depot explosion and fire. This major incident is thought to have been the largest peacetime explosion in Europe. It was tackled and successfully resolved under the constant glare of international media and was one of the first major incidents where film footage from ‘citizen journalists’ was widely used by the media. Whilst in Hertfordshire Mark also had oversight of the investigation into the tragic high rise fire incident at Harrow Court (Feb 2005) where three people, including two firefighters, lost their lives.

Mark is a Fellow of the Institution of Fire Engineers and also holds a number of management qualifications including a Master’s Degree. Until his recent retirement, Mark was also a long standing member of the Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA) National Operations Committee and led CFOA’s Health and Safety reference, regularly meeting with the UK Heath and Safety Executive. Mark remains the Vice Chairman of CFOA National Resilience Limited, a company that coordinates the assurance of the UK’s assets which deal with major or wide-scale incidents.

In 2010, Mark was awarded the Queen’s Fire Service Medal (QFSM) in Her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Gerry Woods completed 25 years as a Colonel in the British Army in 2012 culminating in his appointment as Head of Training Development. He led the design, delivery and accreditation of training for Venue Security Force personnel at the London 2012 Olympics, led research proposals for innovative mobile learning possibilities within Defence sector and training requirements analysis and design for Afghanistan Officers’ Academy in Kharga based upon the Sandhurst model.

Gerry joined Inspirational Development Group (IDG) in 2013 and utilises his extensive leadership experience as a senior military officer to develop and deliver thought-provoking development programmes. As IDG’s Regional Director Middle East, he is responsible for leading and developing our regional team, delivering leadership and team building programmes to an increasing range of clients and developing IDG business across the region.

Muscat-based, he has established IDG formally as an incorporated LLC, recruited and trained Omani staff and facilitated a series of senior leadership development programmes to a variety of clients including Shell, Carillion Alawi, Rothschild, HSBC, PDO, MZEC and OAB. He passionately believes in investing in local talent as the key enabler to growing the Regional economy.

Gerry grew up in Northern Ireland where he completed his secondary education. He earned his BA with honours and Certificate in Education from the University of Ulster and graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1988. He earned his Masters degree with distinction in Training Development and Human Resource Management from the University of Hull and holds a Chartered Fellowship of the Chartered Management Institute (CMgr FCMI). Gerry is also a qualified MBTI, SDI and FIRO-B psychometrics practitioner.

With a Professional career beginning with the Armed Forces of the UAE, the Major General progressed through the ranks undertaking more senior managerial roles and was transferred to commence a strategic role with the Dubai Police Rescue Corps. Where he excelled and displayed a true passion for the Emergency Response sector. As a true visionary his abilities and talents would soon realize a new role as Director General of the Dubai Civil Defence. Whilst the dynamic of Dubai evolved he kept pace, carefully planning the future capabilities whilst proividing an effective Fire & Rescue Service. His pioneering initiatives like ensuring all commercial buildings in Dubai have a 24/7 moinitoring status, the introduction of new UAE Life safety Codes of Practice and UAE Standard Operating Procedures, various fire safety campaigns aimed at Risk Awareness and re-assuring all sectors that the Civil Defence is a highly skilled and motivated entity driven by the latest technologies and apparatus available for FRS, with a commitment to be always accessible for anyone at all times. As a first class leading agency for emergency response in the area and hence is often used as a 'benchmark' for the Region of the GCC. This has now culminated in the Major General being the Commander in Chief of the entire UAE Civil Defence forces.

Major General Rashid Thani Al Matrooshi, Director General, UAE Civil Defence Previously worked as Director of Transportation & Rescue Department - Dubai Police GHQ. He also holds the memberships of Permanent Higher Committee for Crisis & Disaster Management - UAE, Crisis & Disasters Management Team - Dubai, National Fire Protection Association - UAE, Police Operations Higher Committee - UAE, Health & Occupational Safety Committee - Dubai, Higher Committee for Framing National Polices & Strategies - UAE, Police Commanders Council - Ministry of Interior - UAE, Center for Ambulance Services Board of management - Dubai.

Major General Al Matrooshi has been awarded with the fellowship of the Institution of Fire Engineers In recognition of his initiatives and achievements towards fire and life safety within the community.

Ali Al Mutawa started his career in 1998 as a Corporal Watch Commander in Dubai. His role was multi-functional and included writing new training and development policies for operational crews, together with setting fire safety inspection regimes and controls. He gained his first degree in ‘Fire Science’ and a diploma degree in ‘Fires in Airports and Seaports’ in an international fire officer training program in Toronto, Canada in 1999. A year later Mr. Al Mutawa was was appointed as a District Officer taking charge of many incidents as the initial incident commander, whilst still continuing studies to advance the protection of life and property and his career.

In 2002 he was appointed as a Station Director focusing on policy writing for operations, communications and training. As the new operations control room was being developed and expanded in 2005 he was deployed as the Senior Group Officer responsible for staffing, training and equipping the control suite.

After graduating with a bachelor degree in ‘Law’ from Dubai Police Academy in 2007 and attaining another diploma for ‘Operations Room Management’ from Germany in 2014, he was promoted to the rank of Senior Assistant General Director for Smart Services, in charge of the department, and in 2017 to Assistant General Director for Smart Services.

Chief Morris currently serves as fire chief for the Pine-Strawberry Fire District in north central Arizona. Prior to this position he was the Fire Chief for the Rural-Metro Department and was responsible for operations in Maricopa and Pinal counties in the Phoenix, Arizona metro area. Previously, he was the Fire Chief for the Seattle, Washington, Fire Department. Chief Morris also served 30 years with the Phoenix, Arizona, Fire Department retiring as Assistant Chief and Fire Marshal. During his career with Phoenix, he was assigned to more than a dozen staff and operations positions. He also held a paramedic certification from 1975-1990.

Chief Morris has authored more than 100 articles that have been published in fire and emergency medical service journals, both nationally and internationally. He frequently lectures on fire service management, health and safety programs, disaster planning, mass casualty management, police-fire unified command operations, as well as, the application of the Incident Management (Command) System to major incidents. He has lectured internationally in Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, Venezuela, Finland and Canada. He also served as a member United Kingdom-United States Symposium Group.

Chief Morris holds a Masters of Arts degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix, a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Supervision from Arizona State University, and an Associate of Arts degree in Fire Science from Phoenix College. He is a graduate of Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government. He also is a Certified Public Manager.

Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Department Fire Chief Greg Ruiz is responsible for the overall planning and operation of the Department. He is part of the City Manager's management team and an advisor to City Management on matters of public safety and department operation. He is responsible for budget development and management and the continued development of the department in terms of service delivery capacity and capability. He oversees 183 department members and directly supervises an Administrative Services Assistant Fire Chief, Emergency Services Assistant Chief, Assistant Chief/Emergency Manager, Fire Budget/Finance Supervisor, and the Executive Assistant.

Greg has over 28 years with the fire service and has spent the past 23 years of that time with the Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Department. He has worked his way through the ranks of the service while acquiring his Bachelor’s in Public Administration from Grand Canyon University and his Master’s in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University.

Greg is a graduate of Tempe Leadership class XXII and the Executive Fire Officer Program. He has completed the Executive Leadership Program at the Naval Postgraduate School's Center for Homeland Defense and Security facilities in Monterey, CA. He is a Certified Public Manager from the Advanced Public Executive Program at Arizona State University and has an extensive instructor background. He has taught for local community colleges since 1993 in the areas of emergency medicine and fire science. He enjoys presenting at professional conferences and is often asked to be the keynote speaker. Professional memberships include the International Association of Fire Chiefs and Arizona Fire Chiefs Association. Currently Greg is attending the National Emergency Management Advanced Academy at the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, MD. He is on the Executive Board of Director’s for the Central Life Safety Council and is a Valley Big Brother.

Lt. Rashid is a young officer who joined Dubai Civil Defence in 2015 and then appointed as the head of Contracts Section. He graduated with a bachelor degree in Law and Police Science. Lt. Rashid is a member of many committees and working teams and moderated many events and seminars.

James Singeltary is an electrical engineer and contamination expert. He also is a Hazardous Materials Instructor with extensive United States Military experience providing a sound platform to exercise his skills into the Public sector developing and innovating technologies for combatting contamination issues and using his knowledge and qualifications for hazardous material de-contamination from buildings to humans and particularly within the scope of fire & rescue.

Peter is a Fire Safety Engineer with over 30 years experience in the Sector. As an Associate Director at BuroHappold, Peter co-ordinates the Asia, India and Middle East consultancy activities in addition to developing fire strategies and fire systems analysis for projects. His career started in the UK in an operational role with the Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service. Following a serious injury at a high-rise fire he moved into specialising in Fire Safety Engineering. Peter is actively involved with promoting international best practice within the industry and has been instrumental in setting up a branch of the Institution of Fire Engineers in the Middle East (GCC UAE Branch) where he is currently the Branch President.

Geoff Howsego joined Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service in August 2007 initially as their HR Director. In 2014 he was appointed as the Director of Professional Services taking on responsibility for all support areas of the Service. He has recently been elected to serve as a Director of the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA), which is the professional body representing UK Fire and Rescue Services. Previously held Director and Deputy Director posts covering HR and Corporate Services in the NHS and most recently in the Senior Civil Service.

Before taking up a career in HR, Geoff was a commissioned officer within the Royal Air Force, completing operational tours both in the UK and overseas.

Geoff holds a degree in law, is a Fellow of the CIPD and completed a Masters degree in HR leadership in 2007. Geoff spent the early part of his life in Hampshire, but latterly made Yorkshire his home before joining Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service.

Geoff initially became involved with the national charity GroundWork as a Trustee Director with GroundWork Solent. He was subsequently invited to join the GroundWork Federation Board and was appointed as the first Chair of GroundWork UK in 2014.

Norah Alghamdi began her career with a Bachelor in Chemistry as a science teacher in Saudi Arabia in 2008. She also obtained a Diploma in English at University of Victoria in Canada in 2013 after which she turned her focus on science and Nano Technology in particular. Following studies in Australia at Flinders University, she graduated with a Master in Nano Technology in 2015 in line with her determination to help advancing Nano science in the GCC. Beside her commitments Norah is also a Personal Development Coach.