David Maeso CEng MIFireE

Please introduce yourself and tell us about your career to date.

I started my fire engineering career in 2004 working for a Spanish research and innovation centre on large infrastructure projects and complex buildings that required performance-based fire safety design solutions. After a 6-month stay at the renowned fire safety engineering group of a London University to develop my computer modelling skills, I joined an international multi-disciplinary consultancy in 2007. Since then, I have worked for various global engineering companies in the UK, becoming a Chartered Engineer in 2014, and 6 years ago I joined OFR Consultants, an independent fire and risk consultancy.

Currently I am also a visiting professor at Ghent University, where I teach two hands-on courses of the Master of Science in Fire Engineering (MSFE).

I also give time to several activities such as peer-reviewing IFE Engineering Council (Chartered / Incorporated Engineer) registrations, and supervising Master’s Thesis and being part of Master’s Thesis assessment committees.

Describe your role or position within your current workplace and describe what a typical working day looks like.

I am an Associate Fire Engineer at OFR Consultants. I spend my time undertaking business development activities and firming up the professional relationship with clients. This then leads to the preparation of fee proposals, and when appointed, the resourcing and monitoring the financial performance of the project.

My role also involves the delivery and supervision of performance-based fire engineering projects, from project appraisal to practical completion, ensuring that the company’s project management and quality assurance procedures are implemented.

Are there any particular challenges or unusual aspects to your role?

One of the challenges that I believe fire engineers are currently facing is the need to develop an in-depth understanding of fire safety in the modern built environment. There are emerging energy and transport technologies as well as environmentally friendly features being embedded in building designs, and the hazards and risks associated to these require due consideration.

What do you find most enjoyable about your job?

There is no typical working day for a fire engineer, and that is one of the aspects of this profession that I enjoy most. One day you might receive a request from an architect to assist them with the refurbishment of a public toilet, and next day you might be liaising with a multi-disciplinary team designing a large masterplan for high-rise residential developments. ‘Variety is the spice of life’.

Is there a great professional achievement or high-profile accomplishment that you would like to tell us about in a previous role or your current one?

One of the greatest achievements in my career was to become the Lead of the Fire Engineering London Team of a multi-disciplinary engineering company. I am also proud of having led the delivery of international projects, such as a mixed-use development in Minsk, Belarus and a basketball arena in Valencia, Spain.

What inspired you to become an engineer or pointed you towards an engineering career?

Since I was a child, I always felt the need to scrutinise every gadget that fell into my hands. There was a desire to understand the intrinsics of things. As I grew up, I developed a strong taste for technical subjects which I then focused my studies on.

What contributed to your decision to become a Chartered IFE member?

The main driver for initially deciding to become a Chartered Engineer was my mentor. He taught me about the IFE and the benefits of gaining chartership.

How have you benefitted from being a Chartered member with the IFE (career, personally)?

I have benefited professionally from being a Chartered Engineer with the IFE in many ways. Registration was a requisite for promotion to senior positions and offers me recognition as a suitably qualified and competent professional. Also, many companies offer a financial incentive to those employees that obtain Chartership.

Are you involved in the IFE in any other capacity (e.g. branch, volunteer, with a SIG)? If you are, could you tell us a bit more about that?

I am a peer-reviewer for IFE Engineering Council (Chartered / Incorporated Engineer) registrations. I review the applications and complete the initial review form for the Professional Review Report (PRR). I also review the non-academic elements of the application, with particular reference to the PRR, and recommend whether or not I consider that it sufficiently demonstrates meeting the requirements of UK-SPEC.

Would you recommend joining the IFE to others? If so, why?

I would strongly recommend that new and current fire professionals join the IFE. IFE membership offers professional recognition and provides access to a variety of learning resources, including the IFP journal. It also gives members the opportunity to contribute to the fire industry, for example joining the Special Interest Groups (SIGs).

Is there any advice you would pass on to someone considering professional registration / IFE membership?

An important aspect is Continuous Professional Development (CPD). I would encourage those seeking registration to undertake CPD throughout their career by continuously learning, enhancing their skills and acquiring knowledge to stay competent in the field. It is also important to keep a record of all these activities.