ABOUT US
TONY WHITING
About Us… Ex Military, I served as an operational front-line firefighter and Manager for over 25 years, serving in both Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Fire and rescue services as well as starting my career as an airport firefighter at Oxford Airport, before which I served in the military.
Over the next 10 years of working as a director of EFS and then EMFS group where I assisted in growing the business to a market leader with a turnover in excess of 8m per annum.
As a PTTLS-trained instructor carrying both Nebosh and a wide range of FPA qualifications. Whilst always ensuring that the company complies fully with prescribed guidance documents including the following (Cap 168, TB197, Cap 699, RR (FS) Order 2005 & the Purple and Green Guide’s) as well as the exacting professional standards I set myself.
I also hold qualifications in the Institute of Leadership & Management and a BTEC level 5 Professional Award in Interactive Management. I have managed the fire crew’s capability at numerous high-profile events across the UK, and 100’s of other festivals, events, films and TV shows around the world – The highlight of my career so far was looking after the Fire safety arrangements for Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in both Hyde Park and the main ceremony. It was an absolute honour!
Now moving on to the next chapter, Lookout Safety Ltd offers a bespoke solution to safety on land sea and air, both worldwide and in the UK.
ACCREDITATIONS
- Freedom of the City of London Awarded 2022, and in the company of Worshipful fire fighters
- Tier 2 TFRAR
- Level 5 Fire Safety
- Nebosh
- FRA Validator
- RYA level 4 Day skipper with commercial endorsement
- MIFSM, MIIAI, GiFire, Tech IOSH
DARREN LLOYD
Darren has 20 years of experience as a Frontline Firefighter & Crew Manager with Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service.
He has spent the last 9 years working for a one-stop fire safety company, progressing from Junior fire risk assessor to Senior fire risk assessor then eventually running the division as a fire safety consultancy manager. Diploma in fire doors.
With a Diploma in Level 4 fire risk assessing, Darren has undergone fire safety courses with the FPA from complex buildings through to passive fire stopping, train the trainer and numerous other related courses in fire safety.
He has been through the audit process as a validator in accordance with the BAFE life safety fire risk assessment SP205 accreditation with SSAIB.
Darren Loves family, anything sport and enjoys a good social! As well as being a part-time gym goer.
Ross Layton
Ross has over 5 years experience in the fire safety sector.
Ross started his fire safety journey as a firefighter for Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service serving at Slade Fire Station, before a short time spent at Faringdon Fire Station before accepting a full-time role with Event Fire Solutions as a firefighter. In this time, Ross was attending events as a fire safety advisor and firefighter in the summer and winter periods providing fire extinguisher services and fire cover across a variety of events/film sets/waking watch sites and aviation fire cover. This led to being promoted to a crew manager position, resulting in being given the opportunity to act as the fire safety lead for a variety of tasks, events and festivals.
In April 2023, Ross joined the fire safety and training team, working alongside John Turner as a trainee fire risk assessor and trainer delivering fire warden, fire awareness and RP courses to a variety of clients. The first six months were spent shadowing John and learning about the world of fire risk assessments and fire legislation, whilst taking charge of the companies fire extinguisher hire bookings and stock, scaling fire extinguishers, writing fire management plans and festival FRAs. In September 2023, Ross completed the 4.5 days C S Todd Fire Risk Assessors course, passing this course. From this point, he began completing fire risk assessments on a solo basis to build up a portfolio of various types of buildings and occupations. At this point, Ross joined the IFSM at associate grade and also joined the TFRAR (Tier 1 Fire Risk Assessors Register).
In May 2024, Ross joined a property management company, completing FRAs and fire door inspections across a variety of residential premises of different shapes and sizes. These sites varied from small HMOs, to residential blocks of up to six stories.
John Turner
John has served a total of 26 years as a firefighter and manager in the Royal Air Force Fire and Rescue Service and QinetiQ Fire and Rescue Service on the Defence Estate where I moved into the realm of fire safety. Prior to joining the services, he was a qualified electrician working on commercial and industrial projects.
He then moved into the private sector in 2021and took a position in EFS, soon to become EMFS to run the fire training, fire extinguisher and fire safety departments and lead them though the BAFE 205 Certification through the SSIAB Audit process.
John holds the Fire Safety Management and Fire Risk Assessment Cert, Level 4 Fire Safety (Audit) Certificate, Level 3 Fire Door Inspection and NEBOSH General Certificate.
He is a member grade with the IFSM and is on the CFRAR as a Tier 2 assessor, John is also a Validator under the BAFE 205 scheme.
