Contact the Firefit Steering Group Members...


E-mail your queries to your regional Firefit Steering Group member.


If want to find out who the Health & Fitness Practitioners are in your area, share best practice, or need advice with a health related issue then simply get in touch with your area representative below;

The FireFit Steering Group Members, Harcombe House Devon. March 2007.

Graeme Smith, DCO. Bedfordshire & Luton Fire & Rescue Service. Graeme Smith is currently the Deputy Chief Officer responsible for Service Delivery and Human Resources within Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service. After joining Cleveland Fire Brigade in 1983 he served in the operational, staff and training references before moving south to Bedfordshire with his wife and three children in 1991. In 1999 Graeme left his position as Head of Personnel and Training for a secondment to the Home Office as Staff Officer to Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Fire Services. During this secondment Graeme worked on the Thematic Review – ‘Managing a Modernised Fire Service’. He was also part of the team that inspected Fire and Rescue Services in the South and East of England. In 2002 Graeme returned to Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue and was promoted shortly after to the position of Assistant Chief Fire Officer where his references included, Personnel, Training, Occupational Health, Equality, Health and Safety, Communications, Procurement, Finance and Property. Contact Graeme here.....

Gail Cotton, Head of Occupational Health Services. Leicestershire Fire & Rescue Service Head of Occupational Health and Safety for Leicestershire Fire & Rescue Service providing occupational health to 20,000 local authority employees and other businesses in the East Midlands. A past President of the Association of Occupational Health Nurse Practitioners (UK). She represents Occupational Health nurses on regional and national working groups, is on OH Journal Editorial board and lectures OH nurses at Warwick University. Also sits on professional conduct and competence panels for Nursing and Midwifery Council. Contact Gail here.....

Aidan Magennis, Group Commander. Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service. Aidan joined the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service in 1984 and has served in Operational Stations, Community Safety and Training. His current role is Group Commander responsible for Occupational Health & Welfare in a Service of approx 2,300 people. He organised the Firefit conference held in Belfast in 2004 and has been involved in the Firefit Steering Group since then. Contact Aidan here.....

Dorileen Forbes, Occupational Fitness Advisor Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service. Dorileen is currently the Senior Occupational Fitness Advisor for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service having joined in October 2006. She has been involved with the recent implementation of Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service’s new policy on Firefighters’ Physical Fitness which involves the routine fitness testing of all operational personnel. Other core functions of her role include, fitness training, fitness programming and design, nutritional guidance, lifestyle guidance, first aid and manual handling training. Dorileen graduated with a BSc (honours) degree in Applied Sports Science in 1998 from The Moray House School of Education, she has since completed a Post Graduate Certificate of Education at Greenwich University, and her experiences include Lecturing on a variety of Health and Fitness courses and Teaching Physical Education. Dorileen joined the FireFit Steering Group in 2006. Contact Dorileen here.....

Gary Bankhead, Watch Manager, ABAPT. County Durham & Darlington Fire & Rescue Service. 17 Years in the Fire Service, currently serving as Watch Manager at Consett Fire Station, having spent the three previous years seconded into a Health and Safety Section. Gary assisted the Intergrated Clothing Project as a member of the Anthropometric Study of male firefighters measuring team. Currently working on the NE Region Task Group on health and fitness and substance missuse, representing DDFRS as the Services' Senior Physical Training Co-ordinator. Gary has a Diploma in Sports Science, YMCA & OCR Gym & Circuit instructor. Interests include sub-aqua diving and a dedicated Fire and Ice team member. Contact Gary here..... .....Oh and this web site's web master!

Graham Rothwell, Manchester Fire & Rescue Service. Graham joined the fire service as a junior fireman in 1977 - for some reason they never ran another junior course again! He served for over 20 years as an operational firefighter before moving to the Training Centre in December 2000. Graham is currently the Brigade Fitness Advisor, Brigade Rope Access Instructor as well as a Swift water Rescue Instructor. He is also a qualified Sports Massage Therapist. Graham became the Treasurer of the Firefit Steering Group at the end of 2002 and also organised the FireFit conference in Manchester in 2003. Contact Graham here.....

Richard Stevenson, Senior Physical Training Adviser. South Wales Fire & Rescue Service. Richard is currently the Senior Physical Training Advisor for South Wales Fire & Rescue Service having joined in November of 2003. Prior to that he worked for a medical research company as a research physiologist and for the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff where he lectured exercise physiology whist studying for his MSc. in Exercise Science. Since joining the Fire & Rescue Service Richard has been involved with developing and implementing a number of strategies, which include weight management and non-uniform fitness policies. He has also qualified as a Sports Massage Practitioner with the Sports Massage Association and now offers massage therapy to all Fire Service personnel. He is presently studying at Bristol University for a Post Graduate Diploma in Physical Activity, Nutrition and Public Health. In his short time with the Steering Group, he has been involved with the new National Fire-fighter Selection tests and is very keen on raising the profile of physical fitness within all aspects of the UK Fire & Rescue Service. Contact Richard here.....

Leona Maley, Clinical Team leader, Fire Service National Benevolent Fund. Leona is the physiotherapist and Clinical Team leader for the FSNBF. She joined the benevolent fund in 2005 to set up the new therapy centre at Harcombe House. She has previously worked for the NHS and the army and believes that physical exercise is the key to full recovery from injury. She is keen to link the rehabilitation of injured fire-fighters with current fitness standards and training protocols within the fire-service. She joined the Firefit Steering Group in 2006 as the FSNBF representative. Contact Leona here.....

Paul Wilsher Watch Man B, H&S, STC. Essex Fire & Rescue Service. Paul joined Essex Fire & Rescue Service back in 1979 as a fire fighter and has served both operationally and within the training department. He has over ten years experience as the Service Senior Fitness Adviser and currently manages the fitness team in Essex. He has a BA (honours) degree in Education & Training from the University of Greenwich and a MSc in Sports Science (Health & Fitness) attained at the University of Essex. Paul' particular interest of research is the effect of PPE on body temperature and hydration. He has represented FireFit on the ODPM led FF point of entry selection test steering group and is particularly interested in standardising entry and ongoing fitness testing throughout the British fire service. Although he no longer competes Paul is a keen club swimmer and enjoys mountain biking and running. Contact Paul here.....

Paul Symington, Fitness Advisor. Somerset Fire & Rescue Service. Paul is the Physical Training Advisor and Co-ordinator for Somerset Fire & Rescue Service having joined in April of 2003. He has been involved with developing and implementing the new fitness & health policies that includes access to fitness testing (fit for duty), training programmes for all staff, weight management, nutritional guidance, and manual handling. Prior to this position he has worked as a Health & Fitness Club Manager, Personal Fitness Trainer and Diet & Nutritional Advisor. Paul has over twenty years experience as a participant within the fitness and health industry and competitive amateur athlete, including Wado Ryu Karate, Fencing (Epée, Royal Marine finalist), triathlon, running, indoor rowing, cycling, and extreme team events. Paul now chairs the Southwest Fitness Group (7 SW Fire Services), and works jointly with Avon and Gloucestershire Fire Service regarding implementation of Station Fitness Advisors Training. He holds a RIPHH Diploma in Nutrition and Health including Sports Nutrition, is a member of the Register of Exercise Professionals, and is currently studying Nutritional Medicine. He has been an active member of the Steering Group since joining the Fire Service, helping to share information across the UK. Contact Paul here.....

Dr Ian Griffiths,Consultant Occupational Physician, Nottingham Occupational Health. Ian has been the Occupational Health Physician for Notts Fire and Rescue Service since 2000 and worked in the NHS in Occupational Health since 1998, where he is currently a full time consultant. Ian has been a member of the Association of Local Authority Medical Advisers since 2000. He is also the Chair of the Trent Occupational Medicine committee which organises an Annual Symposium on an occupational health theme every year in Nottingham. Ian is also the medical advisor for treks organised by the Fire Services National Benevolent Fund. Contact Ian here.....

Matt Hunt, Risk Planning Officer, Avon Fire and Rescue Service. Matt Joined the Fire Service in 1992 following 5 years in the Royal Marines Reserve and Royal Air Force. He has served Operationally and in the training department as a PEi and General Instructor, as the Career Development Officer and in Fire Safety. Currently a Station Manager, he has managed both Single, Muti pump and Retained Stations and presently is the Risk Planning Officer for Avon Fire and Rescue. After training on several courses at Lilleshaw National Sports Centre, Matt helped to develop and deliver the PEi training within Avon and has stayed involved with the promotion of Health and Fitness within the Service, most recently at the 2006 FireFit Conference in Bristol and has been a part of the Steering Group since 2004 Matt has competed for the Services in Biathalon and played rugby extensively and for a long time was involved in long distance triathlon and aikido. Within the Fire Service, Matt has competed at the Firefighter Games three times, once in triathlon and three times in the Toughest Firefighter Alive. Matt now Surfs as much as possible and runs with his Black Labrador, Jet. Contact Matt here.....