Laymen to the rescue – or not?

“With great power comes great responsibility!" — the most popular catchphrase by a superhero and immortalized by our friendly neighborhood Spiderman. But no matter what shape or form it may be, power, as we are reminded, is entrusted to the bearer of it. It serves as a cautionary warning that power needs to be harnessed ethically and utilized for the greater good.

Turning to the world of fire safety, superheroes are embodied by none other than people who safeguard life, property, and environmental protection through the right combination of experience and education. With all the wisdom of Uncle Ben from the Spiderverse, at the SFPE conference in Berlin in 2023, Jose Torero reminded us that with competency [for professional practice] comes significant responsibility.