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County Durham Fire Service a ‘forerunner’ for National Operations Guidance

by Featured News

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has dubbed County Durham & Darlington Fire & Rescue Service (CDDFRS) a national forerunner for implementing National Operational Guidance into its organisation.

CDDFRS seconded Station Manager Ian Moore to the NFCC during the development of National Operational Guidance. During this time, Moore worked closely with fire services from across the UK and gained a thorough understanding of how to implement and embed National Operational Guidance into his Service when he returned.

The department has been actively rooted into their Northeast regional working group which includes three other services and has worked to improve collaboration and ease the burdens of implementing National Operational Guidance on each of the respective organisations.

On a wider scale, it has directly engaged with around 28 other fire and rescue services from across the UK to share their experiences, documentation and strategic framework, ensuring that they are helping to drive the Fire Reform agenda across the sector and not just on a local level. 

Once CDDFRS completed its implementation, it put in place mechanisms to ensure the ongoing maintenance of risk assessments, procedures, and training packages as part of its business as usual. Since the project finished front line staff have commented that they find it easy to access the information needed to ensure an effective operational response to incidents.

The NFCC Implementation Team identified that the practice of sharing experience would help to move the fire and rescue sector forward and has now signposted other services to contact CDDFRS and share good practice nationally, hoping to establish a more efficient integration into many other services through shared experiential learning and National Operational Guidance good practice.

The NFCC Implementation Team said that the efforts of CDDFRS, in actively sharing their National Operational Guidance outcomes and their journey, has been instrumental in some fire and rescue services keeping pace with reforms across both operations and fire control, and that its willingness to help others is to be applauded.

New Fire Standard ‘Emergency Preparedness and Resilience’ launched

by Featured NewsSafety

The Fire Standards Board (FSB) has launched the eleventh professional Fire Standard; Emergency Preparedness and Resilience, which focuses on ensuring fire and rescue service are prepared to respond to major incidents and large-scale emergencies or disruptive challenges.

The FSB has said it hopes the Emergency Preparedness and Resilience Fire Standard is that services will contribute effectively to national resilience requirements and have suitable and sufficient access to resources and assets to support response to local, regional and national scale emergencies.

The development of the standard was led by CFO Phil Garrigan of Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, who oversee National Resilience Capabilities on behalf of the Home Office, and NFCC Lead for Local Resilience Forums, Stuart Errington. It was also supported by Business Continuity and national and local resilience practitioners from across a wide range of services, and the Home Office and Cabinet Office.

One of the expected benefits of achieving the Standard is that members of the public will be reassured that their fire and rescue service is resilient, prepared and able to respond to emergencies while maintaining its critical functions during a disruptive event.

As with all Fire Standards, there’s a corresponding Fire Standards Implementation Tool to support services with the implementation. The tool was designed to support services in assessing how well they meet the standard; helping them to build an action plan to identify and address any gaps.

Chair of the Fire Standards Board, Suzanne McCarthy said: “The Board welcomes the launch of the new Emergency Preparedness and Resilience Fire Standard and recognises the contribution it will bring to fire and rescue services and the communities they serve. The standard builds on our increasing portfolio of professional Fire Standards.”

Fire Minister Lord Greenhalgh said: “I am delighted to see the launch of the Emergency Preparedness and Resilience Fire Standard. This standard will help ensure consistency in how fire and rescue services prepare for and respond to major incidents and emergencies, and importantly how they will work with partner agencies. It will provide reassurance to the public that their local services are resilient and prepared to deliver a coordinated response.”

Chair of NFCC, Mark Hardingham said: “The Emergency Preparedness and Resilience Fire Standard aims to ensure that there is a consistent approach from fire and rescue services in preparing for, and responding to, major incidents and emergencies.  

“Thankfully major incidents and emergencies are infrequent, but when they do happen members of the public should be reassured that their local service is prepared to ensure an effective response through a standardised approach to emergency preparedness. Thank you to everyone who has been involved in the development of this standard.” 

Fire safety guidance strengthened for new high-rise homes in England

by ConstructionFeatured NewsIndustry Sectors

New improvements to fire safety guidance and building regulations to ensure tall buildings are made safer in England have been introduced as part of a wider package of reforms, meeting recommendations from Phase One of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and will strengthen the information available to fire and rescue services.

All new residential buildings over 11 metres will now have to include a Secure Information Box that will give fire and rescue services access to important details about a building in the event of a fire. New residential developments over 18 metres will also have to incorporate an Evacuation Alert System to help fire and rescue services inform residents of a change in evacuation strategy, during an incident.

It forms part of a wider update to tighten building regulations and provide clearer fire safety rules for the design or construction of residential developments.

Building and Fire Safety Minister Lord Greenhalgh said: “We have introduced the biggest improvements to building safety in a generation, under the Building Safety Act. These changes will support our tough new regulatory regime – ensuring fire safety measures are incorporated into new high-rise homes and all new residential buildings meet the same safety standards. It does not end here and I urge the industry act quickly to update their practises in line with these new rules.”

The National Fire Chief’s Council (NFCC) Protection and Business Safety Committee Chair, Gavin Tomlinson, said: “NFCC especially welcomes the introduction of emergency evacuation alert systems in new buildings over 18 metres. We also support the inclusion of Secure Information Boxes in buildings over 11 metres, which will give fire and rescue services access to important details about a building and its residents in the event of a fire.

On the changes to building regulations, we are encouraged that unsafe MCM PE cladding panels are banned on all buildings and that the government has promised stronger safety standards for the use of combustible materials on external walls.

West Sussex Fire Chief named NFCC international lead

by Featured NewsPeople

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service’s (WSFRS) Chief Fire Officer, Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, has been announced as the National Fire Chief’s Council (NFCC) International Lead.

The role with the NFCC will be carried out alongside Sabrina’s position of Chief Fire Officer in West Sussex and will see her work with fire services across the world to share best practice and improve firefighter safety to ensure fire services benefit from shared knowledge and the latest developments within the fire service sector.

Speaking of her recent appointment, Sabrina said: “I am delighted to have been appointed as the NFCC International Lead and I am looking forward to embarking on this new journey and being able to share international best practice with colleagues around the world, as well as here in West Sussex.

“Over the last decade I have been researching decision-making psychology to help keep firefighters, and therefore the public, safer. Through this work I have had the privilege of sharing findings with others around the world and I have seen first-hand just how valuable the exchange of knowledge can be between fire service colleagues, both in terms of what we can share to help keep other firefighters safe, but also what we here in West Sussex can learn from other services.

“We already work very closely with all of our neighbouring services here in the UK to share best practice, but this position allows us to take that learning to a whole other level, and puts our fire and rescue service here in West Sussex in a fantastic position at the forefront of international best practice.

“I feel it’s really important that we learn from other people’s experiences in order to adopt new best practices, and this is something I am incredibly passionate about.”

The role will also support when aid is needed from fire services in other countries, such as the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

In March the NFCC, FIRE AID and Fire Industry Association coordinated a national response to support firefighters, emergency services and volunteers battling together on the frontline following the Russian invasion.

A team of 12 firefighters from WSFRS were among the biggest UK fire service convoy and delivered 22 vehicles, including four fire engines donated by WSFRS, and more than 5,000 items of vitally needed equipment.

Since then, a further two convoys of equipment have departed for Ukraine. Going forward Sabrina’s role as NFCC Lead will be instrumental in driving forward similar projects.

NFCC launches tools to support fire and rescue services

by Breaking News

National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) People Programme has launched four new tools to support fire and rescue services in the selection, recruitment, nurturing and growth of diverse talent. 

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Hub, Recruitment Hub, Talent Management Toolkit and Coaching and Mentoring Portal have been put together as the culmination of months work by the NFCC project teams and colleagues from across the fire and rescue sector. 

Each tool champions best practice processes, showcasing sector-endorsed guidance to provide a consistent approach at a national level.  

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Hub contains a of resources to help services ensure that equality, diversity and inclusion are part of everything they do.  

The Recruitment Hub is a centralised resource for colleagues finding and bringing in diverse talent.  

The Talent Management Toolkit has been developed to provide support to fire and rescue services around the key talent management areas: attract, identify, develop, engage, retain, deploy, and evaluate.

And the Coaching and Mentoring Portal allows a continuation of learning and connects individuals with coaches and mentors from within the sector.   

Ann Millington, People Programme Executive said: “I am immensely proud of the work by members of the People Programme in conjunction with fire and rescue services, and the resulting four products.  

“These products signify another significant leap forward by the NFCC in supporting the people already working in, and those yet to join, this exciting and dynamic sector.” 

The toolkits can be found on the UKFRS website.

Industry responds to commencement of Fire Safety Act

by Breaking NewsBuilding ManagementIndustry Sectors

The UK government’s Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Building Safety Act 2022, which have both now come into force, have been met with mixed response from the British fire and safety industry.

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) welcomed he publication of the government’s White Paper on Fire Reform which focusses on driving forward reform, strengthening governance and improving talent and professionalism.  

According to NFCC, the white paper and subsequent consultation provides a further opportunity to continuously improve what fire and rescue services already do and to reach into new roles and responsibilities to respond to local risk and support partner services. The reforms can build on the fantastic work already carried out every day.  

NFCC Chair Mark Hardingham commented: “I am pleased to see today’s long anticipated publication of the white paper together with the announcements on fire and building safety.  

“The public have great confidence and trust in firefighters and their fire and rescue services. We all carry a collective responsibility to build on that reputation in how we shape the fire and rescue service for the future – with the needs and expectations of the public at the forefront of our thinking. 

“NFCC has a significant role to play in advising and delivering on reform and improvements. However, no one organisation alone holds the key – we want to work with the various fire service bodies to inform and implement further improvements.” 

The Council said it would now respond to the consultations after exploring the recommendations in detail with fire and rescue services.  

A perfect storm

The Fire Industry Association has said the new legislation will create a ‘perfect storm’ for fire risk assessors, as they will now face additional challenges when it comes to satisfying new legal requirements designed to meet fire safety competency standards.

The association raised the issue thattThe legislation requires that a building’s external walls be considered as part of any fire risk assessment, which has been much debated by the industry. The Building Safety Act goes further still, it said, placing a clear duty on ‘Accountable Persons’ and ‘Responsible Persons’ to confirm the competency of any fire risk assessor whom they appoint to assist them in undertaking a building fire risk assessment.

It also noted the lack of detailed definition around the term ‘competent’, which then puts these ‘duty holders’ under considerable pressure to make the correct choices.

Dennis Davis, executive officer at the Fire Sector Federation, said: “Those accountable for building and fire safety, including fire risk assessors operating without clearly demonstrable competency, need to make sure they’re ready now.

“They must fully understand the implications of demonstrating compliance with their obligations under the new legislation. Using existing third party assurance schemes that demonstrate fire risk assessors are competent is a practical way forward for clients. Joining such schemes or engaging with those organisations developing standards will allow qualified professionals to show they’re competent. It’s a way forward for contractors.”

He added: “We need to face up to these challenges if we are to avoid a ‘perfect storm’ in the fire risk assessor sector which could undermine fire safety in our buildings.”

‘An attack on workers’ rights’

The Fire Brigade Union called highlighted the white paper’s review on pay and move to operational independence of Chief Fire Officers. Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary called it ‘an attack on workers’ rights by undermining collective bargaining and a proposal to remove frontline firefighters’ voices.

He said: “The narrative set out in the white paper on the fire service’s response to the pandemic is one firefighters will not recognise. Firefighters, through their union, negotiated a contract which kept them safe and allowed important work to protect the public to take place. Before this agreement, Covid positive firefighters were deployed to doorsteps – not something certain chief fire officers can be proud of.

“We’re proud of how the tripartite agreement was achieved through our long-standing arrangements, and attempts to belittle it are false and insulting.

“The vast bulk of this white paper does not relate directly to Grenfell recommendations. It is unclear why the government is trying to paint this picture. Instead of listening to frontline firefighters, the government appears to have listened only to the anti-union voice of the politically motivated, including outgoing fire inspector Tom Winsor, and fire bosses. We look forward to working with the government to address these proposals and making sure that frontline firefighters are heard.

“The union has never opposed clarifying the role of a firefighter and in some instances, expanding that role, and we have tried to have these discussions with ministers for over a decade. It is ministers who have failed to answer these questions. It is imperative that any changes are properly negotiated and discussed with frontline firefighters – it is their say that should matter most. 

“The proposals on governance suggests that we could see more Police Fire and Crime Commissioners. Throwing fire in with police means fire and rescue services do not receive enough scrutiny. Furthermore police and fire are very different functions and there is a vital need to maintain the neutrality of fire and rescue services in the public perception. If this breaks down it will make the work of fire and rescue services in communities far more difficult.”

NFCC Think Sprinkler campaign backed by victims’ families

by Featured NewsPassive

The families of two women who lost their lives at a care home fire in Hertfordshire in 2017 have backed the National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) campaign urging the government to improve sprinkler regulations in England.

Claire Miles and Carole Murray, daughters of Daphne Holloway and Ivy sprigs who lost their lives at a fire at Newgrange Care Home, have added their support as part of NFCC’s ‘Think Sprinkler’ week of action which runs from 16-22 May.

NFCC are campaigning for all care homes in the UK to be retrofitted with sprinkler systems, as well as requiring new build care homes to have sprinklers to help protect residents in these buildings today and for future generations.

According to research by NFCC and the National Fire Sprinkler Network, Sprinklers reduce fire damage by around 75% and people are 50% less likely to be injured. On 99% of occasions sprinklers can control or extinguish a fire.

There is currently no building regulation requirement in England for care homes to be fitted with sprinklers.

Claire Miles, daughter of Daphne said of the campaign: “Yes, there is a cost to fitting sprinklers, but there’s a greater human cost to those who risk life and limb for others – and those firefighters called to Newgrange certainly did that. There’s a cost to losing those we love before their time and in such terrible circumstances.”

Mark Andrews NFCC lead for higher risk accommodation, said the NFFC applauds homes that have opted to install sprinkler systems.

“More widespread installation of sprinklers in all care homes will prevent future deaths and could have prevented the loss of life at Newgrange and in other care home fires across the UK,” he said.

“We urge families to ask questions of care home managers and owners to ensure your loved ones are adequately protected from fire.”  

NFCC calls for ‘sustained’ FRS funding amid safety check data

by Projects

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has called for ‘sustained funding’ for England’s fire and rescue services (FRSs) after the Home Office released its latest prevention and protection statistics.

The data, covering the year from April 2019 to March 2020, includes statistics on home fire safety checks and fire safety audits, and revealed that in the last year FRSs have undertaken 581,917 home fire safety checks (HFSCs), with 489,922 of these for disabled people or those aged 65 and over. The NFCC said this was ‘testament to the focus’ that FRSs have ‘placed on targeted interventions and advice to those who are most at risk of fire’.

These checks are, the NFCC noted, ‘one part of FRSs’ prevention work to manage community risk as part of their individual’ integrated risk management plans, alongside adopting a ‘person-centred approach to identify and address the underlying cause of fire’. Around 48,414 fire safety audits were undertaken in 2019/20, with shops most commonly audited at 7,800 or 16% of the total, and care homes second – 66% of audits, or 31,9778, were ‘deemed as satisfactory’.

FRSs also carried out 83,348 other fire safety activities, an increase of 11% compared to 75,306 in 2018/19, and issued 2,295 formal notices – a smaller number than in 2018/19 – comprising 347 enforcement notices, 788 prohibition notices, 108 alteration notices and 52 prosecutions.

NFCC chair Roy Wilsher said: ‘As the latest figures show, [FRSs] continue to work extremely hard, delivering excellent prevention and protection work and carrying out an additional 8,312 other fire safety activities during 2019/20. Although these latest Home Office figures reveal an 8% reduction in HFSCs, [FRSs] are better at targeting the work and are committed to delivering an improved risk focus to ensure the most vulnerable in our communities receive the best possible fire safety advice and support.

‘This year’s stats have also highlighted a very small decline in fire safety audits. Reduced protection capacity is an area which has been highlighted consistently by HMICFRS, which is directly related to austerity and the subsequent 23% reduction in wholetime firefighters since 2010. This year, fire protection in English [FRSs] received £16m investment from government, plus another £4m to the NFCC Protection Hub to improve central co-ordination, guidance and input to issues like the new fire safety bill.

‘We welcome the extra Home Office and Ministry of Housing Community and Local Government funding this year but would want to see that base lined through the spending review. We currently do not know what the economic impact of COVID-19 will be on the public sector, but it is essential people continue to receive an excellent level of service.

‘Resourcing to risk, maintaining the number of firefighters, better resilience, investing in people and vital prevention and protection work are all areas the government must consider to ensure [FRSs] can continue to provide the services communities need and have come to expect.’

Despite this perspective, many regional FRSs were reported to have carried out ‘record-low’ or lower numbers of safety checks on buildings, with Chelmsford Weekly News, Stroud News and Journal, Telegraph and Argus, Northumberland Gazette and MiltonKeynes.co.uk all reporting on their local FRSs’ figures.

Essex Fire and Rescue Service was said to have undertaken a ‘record-low number’ of building safety checks, with 824 fire safety audits completed – ‘the lowest number of inspections since comparable records began in 2010-11’, while Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service completed 610, 758 fewer than the 1,368 undertaken in 2010-11. Of those, 80 or 13% resulted in an ‘unsatisfactory’ rating, while 74 informal notifications were handed to premises that failed audits.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service carried out 646 audits, again ‘the lowest number of inspections since comparable records began’ in 2010-11, with 301 or 47% resulting in ‘unsatisfactory ratings, and 210 informal notifications handed out alongside 81 enforcement notices and 11 prohibition notices.

Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service undertook 427 audits, 1,133 fewer than the 1,560 recorded in 2010-11, with 146 or 34% ‘unsatisfactory’, and 133 informal notifications and four prohibition notices handed out. Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire and Rescue Service completed 267 audits, ‘the lowest number’ since 2010-11, with 79 or 30% ‘unsatisfactory’ and 101 information notifications handed out, alongside 11 enforcement and 13 prohibition notices, and one prosecution.

Finally, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service undertook ‘over 1,000 fewer’ checks compared to 2010-11, and Fire Brigades Union (FBU) general secretary Matt Wrack, stated that over a decade of government cuts had led to preventative work being ‘slashed’: ‘The Grenfell Tower fire exposed the shameful state of building safety in the UK. The scale of the building safety crisis is beyond all current comprehension – and firefighters have a crucial role to play in tackling it.’

While the FBU supported the building and fire safety bills, Mr Wrack commented that ‘to be effective, the [FRSs] must be properly funded. As things stand, the government is trying to do public safety on the cheap’.

A Home Office spokeswoman meanwhile said that the government ‘was committed to providing’ FRSs with ‘the resources they need’, stating: ‘Funding for standalone [FRSs] has increased by 3.2% in 2020-21. We’ve also made more than £20 million of funding available to the sector to support fire protection work – £16 million of which is being invested directly to increase the number of audits and qualified officers.’

www.thefpa.co.uk/

Dorset businesses urged to prioritise fire safety in Covid world

by Active

Businesses across Dorset which have had to make changes due to Covid-19 are being urged to make sure fire safety remains a top priority.

The call comes from the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) as many have had to implement new ways of working due to the current pandemic. The NFCC is reminding businesses about the everyday fire risks in the workplace – and there is both a legal and moral responsibility to ensure premises are safe from fire.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) group manager Tim Gray, said: “The last few months have undoubtedly been difficult and challenging for many people and businesses.

“As such, we want to make sure that whilst businesses address the changes needed in response to Covid-19, they remain fire safe in doing so.

“Fire can have a devastating impact on businesses, with many never recovering after an incident.”

The fire service says many businesses had to respond quickly to the pandemic once they were allowed to reopen and while revisiting risk assessments, fire safety may not have been at the forefront of planning.

As part of NFCC’s Business Safety Week, running September 7-13, DWFRS is encouraging business owners and to ensure they review fire risk assessments.

They should also seek guidance and advice to help them keep their premises and occupants safe from fire.

DWFRS says businesses must consider the potential risks that the Covid secure measures, which are required to open some premises, may in some cases, compromise fire safety measures:

  • New screens must not obstruct smoke detection or sprinkler heads
  • Business must have enough trained staff to support evacuation procedures
  • Ensure measures to support social distancing do not impact evacuation procedures, exit doors or the ability of emergency service to help you
  • Protect your business from arson
  • Help your fire service by reducing false alarms – which currently accounts for about 40 per cent of all emergency calls

Mr Gray said: “We are encouraging businesses to firstly review their fire risk assessments, and to contact us for advice should they need any support. Our goal is to keep all businesses working safely.”

www.dwfire.org.uk/business-fire-safety

New Chair for National Fire Chiefs Council announced

by People

Mr Mark Hardingham will become chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) from 1 April 2021, succeeding Roy Wilsher, who has held the post since April 2017 and the NFCC’s formation.

In a press release, the FCC stated that Mr Hardingham – currently chief fire officer for Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, and chair of NFCC’s protection and business safety committee – will take over as chair in April next year for an ‘initial two-year period’. He will succeed Mr Wilsher, who has been chair since the NFCC was formed in April 2017.

NFCC board of trustees chair Teresa Budworth stated: ‘Firstly, I would like to thank Roy for his dedication and hard work for NFCC. Under his leadership, NFCC has achieved so much in a relatively short period of time. It is testament to Roy that NFCC has established a pivotal role in advising government and supporting fire and rescue services [FRSs] across the UK, while implementing national policy and delivering critical national workstreams.

‘NFCC was formed only two-and-a-half months before the tragic Grenfell Tower fire. Roy offered the sector and government outstanding help and guidance, during a very demanding period. His membership on the government’s expert panel and now as chair of the protection board has been pivotal in making change for the better.

‘It is a credit to his leadership that the NFCC is in the strong position it is today ensuring fire is on the front foot and able to continue to protect our communities with excellence.  I would like to give him my sincere thanks. I would also like to welcome Mark to the role of NFCC chair. He brings with him a wealth of experience, especially with his protection role and his tireless work on a new building safety framework.

‘I am sure NFCC will continue to go from strength-to-strength under his leadership.’

Mr Wilsher added: ‘It has been an honour to serve as NFCC’s inaugural chair since 2017 and I will continue to do my best for the council over the coming months. I have always said a key success factor for my tenure would be the appointment of a second NFCC chair. NFCC is now an influential organisation, based on our technical expertise, professional knowledge and relationships. It is well-established and respected, and I have set sound policy and financial foundations for the future.

‘I will continue to move NFCC forward on its journey until Mark takes on the role in April 2021. We have seen big changes since NFCC was introduced and I am proud of these achievements. To lead the fire sector through – at times — a profoundly difficult time and to be instrumental in implementing changes for the better, has been a privilege.

‘I would like to wish Mark the very best for when he takes on the role of NFCC chair. I am in no doubt he will build on what is already in place and NFCC will continue on its journey and achieve many more successes.’

Mr Hardingham commented: ‘I am delighted and excited to be taking on the role of NFCC chair in 2021. I have worked closely with Roy throughout his tenure and seen first-hand his commitment and dedication to establishing the NFCC as the trusted and respected professional voice of UK FRSs.I look forward to working with my chief fire officer colleagues and the wider NFCC membership and staff as we approach the challenges and opportunities throughout my term.’

www.nationalfirechiefs.org.uk/

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