Archives: History Events

FSS is well established in Ukraine providing security, medical and project support services to American State Department contractors, with a locally based FSS Regional Manager (ex-UK Special Forces) resident in Slovakia directing operations. Current operations included provision of a safe house, drivers / vehicles, translators, security coordinator, airport meet & greet services, secure hotel recommendations and daily cross-border transportation between Slovakia and Ukraine.

Supporting a growing American client base including various sub contractors tot he State Department FSS is actively providing services in Columbia, Brazil, Peru and Bolivia, with reach across the whole continent.

FSS is now accredited by the UK ‘Institute of Administrative Management’ the UKs oldest awarding/accrediting body and is certified to deliver ‘Level 3’ First Aid in the Workplace courses to students on the most up to date lifesaving practices and procedures for this level of first aid training.

FSS is also offering ‘Level 3 Mines/Industrial Site First Aid’ at the Client sites. This course is based on the ‘First Aid in the Workplace’ but has been tailored by our in-house Paramedics, to provide informed education tailored specifically to focus on injuries that are likely to occur in Industrial and Mining operations. FSS has provided site medical services to the Industrial and Mining sector since 2008 and benefits from a wealth of knowledge gained from first-hand experience in the sector, which we pass onto our students.

The Company intends to widen its course offerings further into 2023 with intermediate level FPOS and FREC 3 courses.

Following 4 years of major renovation and building works to the ‘Grade II listed’ Edwardian building, at the start of 2023 FSS is pleased to announce the opening of its ‘new’ Head Office, in Hereford UK.

The head office is now home to FSS medical training facility, where our UK based First Aid courses are delivered. It also houses the Global Operations Centre, 24-hour Tracking Centre, Administrative Offices and Board Meeting Room.

The renovation works included complete re-roofing, strip out and replacement of electrical, plumbing and heating systems, traditional carpentry work, traditional sand and lime 3 coats re-plastering and painting of the entire building plus the implementation of sympathetic but new fixtures and fittings throughout.

With international Covid-19 related restrictions diminishing, FSS experienced a welcome resurgence in demand for services, with both returning and new clients pushing forward international projects and business development which had been put on hold by the restrictions of the previous 2 years.

FSS secured a major new contract in Nigeria supporting a US Defence manufacturer (More information can be found on the ‘Project Insights’ page) and also successfully delivered 62 short term taskings and assessments, predominantly in Africa and The Middle East, but also wider afield in South America and Europe to other Clients.

FSS also secured a major contract variation order for additional services to an existing contract in Mali and welcomed on board an expatriate doctor and 2 expatriate paramedics as a result.

At the start of 2020 the world was rocked by the rapid global spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in the most stringent international travel restrictions seen in our lifetimes. As with many other industries, the demand for international Risk Management, Medical and Project Support services collapsed resulting in many smaller players folding under the loss of trade.

FSS continued to service its major contracts of the time in Afghanistan and Nigeria. Despite a fall in demand for new services of 97% based on the previous year, the company persisted through these difficult times and focused its efforts on the development of new services, specifically medical training services.

In March 2019 FSS Group secured a major contract for risk management and life support services in Afghanistan from a US State Department Defense Contractor. The requirement was to provide full life support and secure B6 transportation with PSD services for up to 56 US personnel. Operating on the ‘Milair’ side of Kabul airbase but quartered off-base in Kabul city.

FSS provided secure B6 armoured transportation, armed expatriate and TCN bodyguards and drivers, expatriate management team and provision of accommodation, including all life support off-base, risk management and intelligence monitoring, EEP and training of the local support staff. The Contract term was 4 years but it unexpectedly closed with the US pull-out of Afghanistan in August 2021.

Located in the ancient Heritage Area of Hereford City. The building is a 5000 Sq Ft (465 Sq M) and ‘Grade II listed’ Edwardian building with a board room and 11 separate offices on 3 floors overlooking Hereford Cathedral which is home to one of the oldest maps in existence – the Mappa Mundi and also 100 metres from the ancient 11th century river bridge.

Working closely with the Heritage Planning Department of Hereford City Council the Company has project managed the complete external and internal renovation of the building to complete critical and essential repairs, improve its appearance, maintain its longevity and make the interior better suited to a modern office environment. The renovations were finally completed in last quarter 2022 and is undergoing kitting out to house our Operations Centre, 24-hour Tracking Centre, Employee Offices, a Training Room and a Board Room. With the continued growth of the business and expansion of our in-house team, we believe the new refurbishments will provide a historically interesting and visually appealing character building, better suited to our needs.

The Company has been using temporary offices since 2019 and is looking forward to the new occupation. Please jump forward to our 2023 history line!

In 2017 FSS was invited to undertake a pre-construction project risk assessment for the Australian based mining company Birimian Gold and their Malian subsidiary ‘Timbuktu Ressources SARL’ for the potential establishment of the fist commercial lithium mine and processing plant in the Sikasso region of Mali.

Following the completion of these assessments, using the Liberia models of 2010 FSS has moved on to secure executive protection, guarding and medical service provision for the project.
In 2023 the Company has a full site medical team, which includes an FSS Clinic with expatriate GP services, a site Ambulance Service with expatriate paramedics and LN EMTs and Nurses.

FSS Mali SARL holds its registered office in Bamako and its local shareholding partner has since enabled the development of services in neighbouring regions, with short term assignments having been delivered in Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Niger and Mauritania since its inception.

In July and August 2016 FSS provided an investigation team to a Client operating in a west African oil producing nation facing a class action lawsuit related to oil pollution. The FSS Client wanted to build a case to refute claims the riverline, water table and land contamination which had resulted in severe depletion of fish stocks and contamination of farmland, drinking and well water was result of illegal ‘bunkering,’ and pipeline siphoning by locals and sabotage and not poor production and pollution control.

The team spent 2 months working in local communities, taking samples, interviewing those affected and creating a complete case file with proven chain of exhibit custody. The investigation had to take account of and work around an ongoing insurgency by armed militias with a history of kidnap, murder and genocide.