MessagefromEuropeChair25

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Welcome

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Dear SFPE Europe members,

Everyone was looking forward to the end of the Corona pandemic! All over Europe covid measures are being reduced step by step. In Switzerland, for example, all measures have been dropped since the beginning of April. However the return to "normal" life was not to be! The war in Ukraine shocked not only us in Europe, but also the rest of world. At our SFPE Europe General Assembly in early March 2022, our Polish chapter gave us an insight into the situation they are currently experiencing in Poland with regard to the war in Ukraine. It was very touching to hear what is happening there and how everyone is trying to help. Since it was clear after a few weeks that this conflict would continue for an extended time, SFPE Europe together with SFPE decided that we could also do something. For this reason, we have set up our own website www.sfpe.org/ukraine where you can find information on how to provide support. We are also in the process of contacting fire safety associations in Ukraine to see if we can help other professionals by finding them jobs in European countries. They deserve our support!

In SFPE Europe itself we had the pleasure of welcoming 2 new European chapters during our General Assembly in March: Finland and Malta. With these two new chapters, we now have a total of 19 chapters and 5 student chapters in Europe.

In November 2021, SFPE Europe applied to become a CEN liaison organization. We were very positively surprised to be able to sign the Agreement of Liaison for the following 3 TCs already in March 2022: TC 127 - Fire Safety / TC 191 - Fixed Firefighting Systems / TC 250 - Eurocodes. The application to join the 4th TC - 156 Smoke Control - is pending.

In March (it was really a very busy month) the virtual 14th SFPE International Performance-Based Codes and Fire Safety Design Methods Conference took place. We had a very good program with many high calibre speakers on a variety of interesting topics. With over 200 participants from more than 30 different countries, the conference was a great success.

Looking ahead to London on 16 May 2022, we will have a great program around the SFPE Europe General Assembly. We will start with a Chapter Leadership Forum, followed by the Ordinary General Assembly Meeting and finish with a very British evening program!

We have also launched an SFPE Europe News Brief. This is a bi-monthly supplement to the SFPE Europe digital magazine, featuring industry news, SFPE updates and activities from SFPE chapters across Europe: https://multibriefs.com/briefs/SFPE-Europe/ Enjoy reading!

Let me conclude where I started: SFPE and SFPE Europe are united with the people of Ukraine. The strength and resilience of the Ukrainian people is an inspiration to others around the world, and our hearts go out to all those affected. The Ukrainian people and all those living in conflict areas need to know: Nobody is forgotten - nothing is forgotten!

Enjoy a peaceful Spring


David Grossmann, SFPE Europe Council Chair 2021