Fire chief to step down as she takes on new role
West Sussex chief fire officer Sabrina Cohen-Hatton will step down from her current position later this year to become the new chief fire officer to lead Hampshire and Isle Of Wight Fire and Rescue Service.
She will become the organisation's first female fire chief, replacing current officer Neil Odin.
Ms Cohen-Hatton joined West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service in 2019, having previously worked with THE London Fire Brigade and Surrey Fire and Rescue.
In 2023, she was awarded the King's Fire Service Medal for distinguished service and gallantry.
Speaking of her appointment, Ms Cohen-Hatton said: 'I am truly honoured to have been appointed to lead Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service and am incredibly excited to begin this new role to ensure that the Service continues to deliver for the residents of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
'I would like to formally put on record my thanks to the service's current chief fire officer, Neil Odin, who I have been privileged to work alongside for many years.
'I know that his time leading the service will leave a lasting legacy that I will work with to ensure that residents in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are kept safe from the risk of fire and emergencies.'
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She added: 'I am incredibly proud of the time that I spent at West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, where I was equally as privileged to work with some incredible people as we worked together to deliver the service's improvement plan.
'It is with a heavy heart that I leave the service but know that I am leaving the service in safe hands and I take with me many fond memories and friendships.
'I am very much looking forward to working with all colleagues at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service to uphold all of the fantastic work that all of its teams deliver each and every day to keep the residents living and working in its communities safe.'
Ms Cohen-Hatton first developed an interest in the fire service when selling the Big Issue as a teenager.
Read more:
She had experienced a period of homelessness from the age of 15 and was inspired to help others when they were most at need.
Ms Cohen-Hatton is now an ambassador for The Big Issue, as well as an advocate of Prince William's Homewards Foundation.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire Authority chairman Councillor Rhydian Vaughan MBE said: 'The role of chief fire officer is one of huge responsibility, and following our rigorous recruitment process, I am certain Sabrina is the right person to lead us forward.'
'I am very much looking forward to welcoming Sabrina when she formally joins us later this year. As a fire authority we look forward to working with her and to support her in being at the helm of this incredible organisation.'
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USA Today
05-08-2025
- USA Today
Airplane evacuation safety concerns resurface after American Airlines incident
When an American Airlines flight was evacuated on the runway in Denver in July, video showed many of the passengers going down the slides with their carry-on luggage in tow. That's a big no-no from safety experts, and it sparked the latest round of concerns from lawmakers and others that airplane evacuations just can't happen as safely as they should. In a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration a few days after the American Airlines incident, Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., said he's concerned that airlines are no longer configured with evacuation safety in mind. Cohen sponsored legislation that was passed as part of the 2024 FAA reauthorization, which requires the agency to conduct new evacuation testing to ensure modern aircraft can be evacuated in 90 seconds or less. The agency previously conducted evacuation testing in 2019, but many experts and lawmakers, including Cohen, said the design of those tests was flawed. 'The urgency of these concerns was made evident by the recent emergency evacuation of American Airlines Flight 3023 at Denver International Airport, reportedly triggered by a landing gear fire. Video footage shows smoke pouring from the aircraft as passengers – some with carry-on bags, others carrying children – rushed down emergency slides." Cohen's letter said, adding that the evacuation appeared to have taken as long as 15 minutes. 'Congress did not write the EVAC Act into law to produce symbolic improvements. We did so to ensure that every passenger, regardless of age, size, ability or language. can evacuate safely and efficiently in an emergency. While it's unclear whether the FAA will conduct new, more rigorous, evacuation testing, experts said there are some things passengers can do to ensure they get off the plane as quickly and safely as possible in an emergency. The most important thing is to leave everything behind. 'During an evacuation, seconds matter. The time you take to grab something from in front of you or from the overhead compartment, it's wasting time, and that time could result in a fatality,' Anthony Brickhouse, director of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Forensic Lab, previously told USA TODAY. 'It creates clutter, and it could damage the slide, which can make it inoperable … The most important thing is to get yourself out of that aircraft as quickly as possible.' Other helpful actions include paying attention to the safety briefing on every flight, identifying your nearest exist, knowing your escape route and leaving your shoes on for takeoff and landing. Those phases of flight are when issues most often occur, so it's a good idea to be ready to move if you have to.
Vox
30-07-2025
- Vox
Most couples used to meet this way. What happened?
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Newsweek
02-07-2025
- Newsweek
Scientists Reveal Texting Trick for Stronger Relationship
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. If you want a simply way to boost your relationship on a day-to-day basis, try peppering your texts with emoji. This is the surprising recommendation of a new study by researchers from the University of Texas at Austin, which found that text messages containing emojis are perceived as more emotionally responsive than those using words alone. That sense of responsiveness, the study found, significantly boosts feelings of closeness and satisfaction in romantic relationships. From left: Examples of text messages with emojis; and a woman smiling at her smartphone while outdoors. From left: Examples of text messages with emojis; and a woman smiling at her smartphone while outdoors. Getty Images / Eun Huh / PLOS One In an era dominated by digital communication, where tone and facial cues are often lost, this study points to emojis as essential stand-ins for human expression. It is not just that people enjoy the playful icons—it is that they interpret them as signs of emotional attunement, often signaling inside jokes or other shows of intimacy. In the study, researchers recruited 260 participants between the ages of 23 and 67 who read through 15 simulated text conversations. In each, they imagined themselves as the sender, evaluating their "partner's" replies. Some replies included emojis, while others did not. Across the board, participants found emoji-enhanced replies more emotionally responsive. That perceived responsiveness predicted stronger feelings of intimacy and satisfaction with their imagined partner. Texting, now the dominant form of communication for many couples, lacks the immediate feedback of face-to-face conversations. Emojis can, according to the results, help bridge that gap by injecting tone and emotion into otherwise flat text. This expressive function may help explain why participants rated emoji-enhanced responses so positively. Dr. Marisa T. Cohen, a marriage and family therapist and relationship expert with the dating app Hily, told Newsweek that this emotional context is key. "Emojis are often used to convey or deepen emotions when it comes to texts," Cohen said. "Texts often do not benefit from tone or nonverbals in the way that face-to-face interaction does, so emojis can help add character to the message. "This can help clarify intent when communicating." Importantly, the type of emoji used—whether a face or a non-face icon—did not significantly alter participants' perceptions. This suggests that it is the act of using emojis at all, rather than the specific symbol, that communicates emotional attentiveness. Cohen noted that as couples grow closer, even their emoji habits can become synchronized. "As people grow closer together, not only may their verbal expressions and intonations start to mirror one another, but so may their emoji use and texting behavior," she said. "They may also start to assign emojis specific meanings that only they know, creating a secret language. "This private language not only keeps them on the same page but can strengthen their couple identity." That digital rapport, Cohen said, can also deepen emotional intimacy over time. Still, emoji-based communication is not foolproof. Interpretation also varies by age and culture. "It is important to check that you put the same meaning into one emoji as different generations pick different emojis to express their emotions," Cohen said. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about relationships? Let us know via science@ Reference Huh, E. (2025). The impact of emojis on perceived responsiveness and relationship satisfaction in text messaging. PLOS One.
