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As The Emergency Services Show celebrates its 20th anniversary, founding partner EP Barrus reflects on two decades of supporting the event, the evolution of rescue equipment and why face-to-face conversations continue to shape innovation across the emergency services sector.
For two decades, Barrus has been a constant presence at The Emergency Services Show. As one of the show’s founding partners, the company has exhibited at every edition since the event launched, growing alongside the UK’s largest gathering of emergency services professionals.
Over that time, both the show and the sector have changed dramatically, expanding beyond fire and rescue into a truly multi-agency event where suppliers, frontline responders and decision-makers come together to solve operational challenges.
For David Etherington-Smith, Sales Manager, Special Products, that collaborative environment is exactly what made the show stand out from the beginning.
“We started in the emergency services market primarily working with fire and rescue services. The show brought everybody together in one place and opened up markets we didn’t really know existed at the time.
“It was those face-to-face conversations that helped us understand what operators actually needed. They didn’t want something straight out of the box. They wanted equipment that was tailored to their application.”
David Etherington-Smith, Sales Manager, Special Products.
That insight has shaped Barrus’ approach ever since.
From products to partnerships
While Barrus is perhaps best known within the emergency services sector for supplying specialist marine engines and rescue equipment, its role has evolved well beyond providing hardware.
Over the years, the company has increasingly focused on configuring equipment for individual organisations, delivering training, supporting maintenance teams and ensuring operators know how to get the most from their equipment in challenging environments.
“We’ve learned that every user wants something slightly different. The core products remain very similar, but how they’re configured and supported is different for every organisation.
“We’ll trial an engine on a customer’s boat, make sure it’s matched correctly, carry out a handover, and then train both operators and in-house mechanics. We don’t just sell an engine in a box and wave goodbye.”
That hands-on approach reflects a wider shift in the supplier-emergency service relationship, where long-term operational support has become just as important as the equipment itself.
Twenty years of changing conversations
Although reliability and safety remain as important today as they were in 2006, the conversations taking place on the exhibition floor have evolved.
Barrus says one of the most significant changes has been the growing interest in electric propulsion, driven by both operational needs and wider sustainability ambitions.
“We’re definitely being asked about electric more and more. For some rescue services it’s a really practical solution, particularly where equipment is used infrequently or where they’re operating in enclosed or noise-sensitive environments.”
Electric outboard motors offer quieter operation and eliminate emissions in environments such as tunnels or confined spaces. Meanwhile, advances in battery technology have significantly improved the capability of electric off-road vehicles.
“A few years ago, you might only get a few hours of operation. Now we’re seeing products that can run for several days and, in some applications, exceed the capability of conventional combustion-powered vehicles.”
Rather than replacing traditional equipment entirely, Barrus sees electric technology as adding another operational option where it’s the right fit.
No two emergency services are the same
One lesson Barrus has learned over 20 years is that there is no such thing as a standard emergency service customer. The company works with more than 50 UK fire and rescue services, alongside police forces, ambulance services and independent rescue organisations, each with their own operational requirements.
“We probably see 30 different variants of requirements across those fire services alone. Police might need larger RIBs with higher-powered outboards, while other organisations have completely different priorities.”
That variety has reinforced Barrus’ emphasis on custom engineering across its wider product portfolio, from generators and pumps to off-road rescue vehicles.
“We customise products to suit almost every application, whether that’s a beach rescue organisation, a fire service or a health and safety team working at a sporting event.”
Why face-to-face still matters
As digital communication has transformed the way suppliers engage with customers throughout the year, Barrus believes The Emergency Services Show remains irreplaceable.
“I don’t think there’s any substitute for face-to-face meetings. You can’t fully explain the solution you offer through social media or printed material. At the show, people bring real operational challenges to you. They ask questions they might not otherwise ask, and those conversations are much more in-depth.”
While Barrus spends the year visiting organisations and carrying out demonstrations, the show compresses months of conversations into two busy days. “It’s an opportunity to dig deeper and really understand what people need.”
Looking ahead to the next 20 years
As The Emergency Services Show enters its third decade, Barrus is also looking towards the future of the sector. Alongside continued advances in technology, David points to the challenge of maintaining UK manufacturing while delivering increasingly customised products.
“Technology is evolving at a fantastic pace, and that’s creating great opportunities. The challenge is that the custom-built element of what we do is labour intensive, and manufacturing costs continue to rise.”
Despite those pressures, Barrus’ commitment to the show remains unchanged. Its product range has grown “a hundredfold” since those first editions, making it harder each year to decide what to bring to the NEC.
“It’s a nice challenge to have,” David laughs. “We try new things, we learn what works, and we come back the following year even better.”
Twenty years after first exhibiting, that willingness to listen, adapt and innovate is exactly what has kept Barrus, and The Emergency Services Show, evolving together.
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EP Barrus is a founding partner at The Emergency Services Show 2026, taking place from 16-17 September at the NEC in Birmingham. You can find them on Stand D30. Register for your free ticket here.
