BAFSA Organisational Structure

Secretary General and Support Staff

Secretary General

Secretary General
Stewart Kidd

Stewart Kidd is a consultant providing a range of loss prevention-related services to government departments, insurers and major organisations both in the UK and internationally. His professional interests include arson prevention, heritage protection and disaster preparedness.

With more than 30 years experience in the sector, much of it in abroad, his background includes 8 years as Director of the Fire Protection Association and a year running the Arson Prevention Bureau. He is a past President of the Institute of Fire Safety Management and a former Governor of the Institute of Risk Management. He was a founder member of the Security Institute and is its immediate past Vice Chairman.

Stewart is well known as a lecturer and writer and is the author of a eight books on topics ranging from fire safety in historic buildings to a dictionary of security terminology. He has been Secretary-general of BAFSA since April 2000

Role of the Secretary General

The SG is effectively the 'chief executive' of the association and is responsible to the Council for the day to day administration of the association with particular emphasis on promoting the more effective use of sprinklers. There are also statutory, formal duties under the Companies Acts as the Company Secretary. The SG's role is part-time and paid and involves me in all aspects of BAFSA's activities including Council meetings and the Marketing Committee. I am ably supported by a range of other part-timers including Ian Gough (Technical), Roy Young (Residential and Domestic Systems). Jane Heeney (PR Consultant), Mike Gale (Publications Consultant). John Hayes (Design Consultant) as well as the office team at Price Bailey who provide accommodation, accounts and office services.

Ian Gough - Technical Advisor

Ian Gough
Technical Advisor

Ian Gough is the Managing Director of Ian Gough Associates, Fire Safety Consultants, United Kingdom and is the Technical Advisor on Fire Safety for the Association of Building Engineers & the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association, United Kingdom.

Drawing on over 31 years of experience in fire operation, safety and investigation, Ian has represented the Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers Association (CACFOA) at a number of events, speaking on 'Fire-fighter's Perspective of Fires in Sandwich Panel Clad Buildings' and various related issues. Ian also lectures at the Fire Service College, Moreton in Marsh.

He was the lead officer in the City Logistics v County Fire Officer case in the Court of Appeal, and has consequently been a member of the joint CACFOA and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) working party, reviewing fire safety guidance to warehouse owners.

Retiring from the fire service in June 2004, Ian has written a number of articles pertaining to fire safety and now continues to work as a fire safety consultant. His major clients include: Carlsberg Tetley, Uniq Foods, Historic Scotland and both the Belvoir Castle and Althorp Estates.

Ian was a member of the working groups that produced new guidance for residential care homes, factories and warehouses in readiness for the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and is a member of the Loss Prevention Council (Fire & Security) Board.

Having given evidence on many occasions in a variety of courts (Magistrates, Crown and Coroner's) Ian is in the process of becoming a member of the Society of Expert Witnesses.

Roy Young - Technical Advisor

Roy Young
Technical Advisor

Roy Young, Technical Advisor: Residential and Domestic Systems

BAFSA is fortunate in having secured the support and services of Roy who is one of the UK's foremost experts on all matters connected to the design and installation of sprinkler systems.

Roy was responsible for much of the drafting of the 29th (and last) edition of the FOC Sprinkler Rules, the document which became BS 5306 Part 2. He was for many years employed by the FIRTO, the insurers' fire research and testing organization. When the LPC was formed, he subsequently became its Technical Development Manager. Roy is still intimately involved in sprinkler matters and of late he has concentrated on developing BS 9251 and DD 252.

Roy is the co-author of 'Automatic Sprinkler Systems for Fire Protection' which was first published in 1991 but remains the seminal work in English on the subject.