Prevention Strategy

This Prevention Strategy sets out how Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service will prevent fires and other emergencies, reduce harm where incidents do occur, and focus support on the people, places and behaviours most at risk. It supports delivery of the Community Risk Management Plan 2027–2032 and reflects our commitment to targeted, person-centred and evidence-led prevention.

Risk and harm are not experienced equally across Lancashire. Accidental dwelling fires, deliberate fires, wildfires and secondary fires, flooding and water-related incidents, road traffic collisions and wider emergency risks are often linked to vulnerability, deprivation, housing, age, health, mobility, social isolation and place. We use data, intelligence, partner referrals and local knowledge to target prevention activity where it can have the greatest impact.

The Strategy is structured around five areas of focus: Home Fire Safety, Prevent Fire Setting, Resilience to Severe Weather and Emerging Risk, Safer Roads and Stronger Communities. Together, these priorities set out how we will reduce risk in the home, prevent deliberate and secondary fires, support communities to prepare for seasonal and emerging risks, contribute to safer road use and work with partners to improve outcomes for vulnerable people and communities.

Prevention activity will be delivered through annual service, departmental and district plans. Resources will be directed according to risk, with more intensive support for those most at risk and accessible advice maintained for all communities. Partnership working will be central to delivery, helping LFRS and our partners identify risk earlier, coordinate interventions, safeguard those at risk and reduce preventable harm.

Progress will be monitored through existing governance and scrutiny arrangements, using performance information, evaluation, partner feedback and community insight. Success will be measured by whether prevention activity reaches those most at risk, improves safety behaviours, reduces incidents and harm, strengthens partnership working and supports safer, more resilient communities across Lancashire.

Introduction

This Prevention Strategy sets out how we will prevent fires and other emergencies from occurring and how we will reduce harm where incidents do happen, during the period 2027–2032.

Our Strategy responds to a community risk profile in which risk and harm are not evenly distributed across Lancashire. Accidental dwelling fires (ADFs), deliberate fires, wildfires and secondary fires, flooding and water rescue, and road traffic collisions (RTCs) remain significant contributors to preventable harm. Deprivation, housing type, age, vulnerability, health and place are important drivers of risk, and prevention is most effective when interventions are targeted towards these factors rather than relying solely on universal delivery.

Our risk hierarchy aims to target those at higher risk whilst ensuring a tiered intervention approach is used to maintain or reduce risk for those who, because of changing circumstances, may become higher risk. Risk will therefore be viewed as dynamic, with appropriate routes for reassessment, referral and escalation where circumstances change.

A SWOT analysis undertaken as part of the Prevention Review identified a mature and comprehensive prevention offer, strong partnership working and data capability, alongside the need to further formalise and centrally manage some underdeveloped interventions, strengthen performance assurance, and improve consistency of delivery across districts.

It builds directly on the 2022–2027 Prevention Strategy retaining the focus on risk-based targeting, early intervention, partnership delivery and measurable outcomes and reflects updated community risk evidence, performance frameworks, and national guidance.

Prevention Strategy 2022-27 - Key Achievements

Since the launch of the Prevention Strategy 2022–2027, LFRS has strengthened and embedded prevention activity, with delivery more targeted, intelligence-led, inclusive and focused on people, places and behaviours where risk is greatest.

· Prevention has been strengthened across Home Fire Safety Checks, Safe and Well visits, referrals, campaigns, education, youth engagement, safeguarding, water safety, wildfire prevention and incident intelligence.

· The HFSC and Safe and Well offer has continued to evolve, informed by vulnerability information, incident data, national and regional learning, and evaluation findings to better identify and support people at risk.

· The preferred partner approach, online training for care providers and closer collaboration with health, local authorities, telecare services and community safety partners have improved opportunities to identify vulnerability and deliver preventative support.

· Equality impact assessments, district intelligence and risk information have helped shape interventions for priority groups and settings, including home-schooled children, prison populations, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, care providers and people affected by telecare changes.

· Fire Cadets, the King’s Trust Team Programme, FIRES interventions, safeguarding training and targeted safety education continue to support safer behaviours, youth engagement and early identification of risk.

· Prevention campaigns have raised awareness of accidental dwelling fires, deliberate fire setting, road and water safety, wildfire, rural safety, smoking-related fires, charging safety and open water hazards.

· Joint working with landowners, Natural England, local authorities, police and the Lancashire Fire Operation Group has supported awareness-raising, Public Space Protection Orders, promotion of the Burn Code and improved land management practices.

Community Risk Management Plan

The Prevention Strategy supports delivery of our Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) 2027–2032 by setting out how we will identify, manage and reduce foreseeable fire and rescue related risk by preventing fires and other emergencies from happening in the first place. As one of six core strategies, it operates in partnership with the Protection Strategy to reduce both the likelihood and consequences of fire and translates the CRMP’s strategic aims into prevention activity that targets risk, reduces harm, promotes safer behaviours and supports safer, more resilient communities across Lancashire.

Our Purpose

Our purpose is to make Lancashire safer. It is what we are here for. We are committed to ensuring that everything we do contributes to improving the safety of Lancashire’s diverse communities.

Our Priorities • Valuing our people so they can focus on making Lancashire safer • Preventing fires and other emergencies from happening • Protecting communities through safer buildings • Responding to fires and other emergencies quickly and competently • Using digital, data and technology to drive continuous improvement • Delivering value for money in how we use our resources

Implementation

This strategy will be delivered through annual service planning, departmental plans, and district plans. Each year, delivery actions, milestones and measures will be aligned to available resources, emerging risk, corporate governance and the outcomes in the CRMP.

Delivery will be overseen through the Service’s governance framework, with progress monitored through performance reporting, strategic reviews, risk management arrangements and the scrutiny of the Combined Fire Authority (CFA). The strategy will be reviewed annually and refreshed when there is a significant change in risk, legislation, policy, funding or organisational design.

Implementation will be informed by:

· Community risk and incident data

· District intelligence profiles

· Vulnerability and safeguarding information

· Partner referrals and intelligence

· Seasonal and emerging risks

· Evaluation and learning

· Equality and people impact considerations

Legislation, Guidance and Best Practice

· NFCC guidance and Fire Standards

· Safeguarding

· Relevant legislation and statutory duties

· Equality, diversity and inclusion

· National and regional best practice and learning

· Evidence-led prevention and evaluation

· Partnership working and information sharing

· Emerging risks and changes in guidance

Equality of Access and Person-Centred Prevention

We aim to provide accessible prevention services to all communities while ensuring that the intensity and method of intervention reflects individual and community risk.

We recognise that people may experience different levels of vulnerability and may face barriers that prevent them from accessing prevention services. These barriers may include health or disability, language and communication needs, ethnicity, culture and beliefs, poverty, social isolation, digital exclusion, housing circumstances or concerns about engaging with services.

Factors that may increase vulnerability to fire or other emergencies include, but are not limited to:

· Older age or living alone

· Limited mobility or difficulty evacuating

· Hearing, sight or other sensory impairment

· Physical health conditions

· Mental health conditions or cognitive impairment

· Learning disabilities

· Smoking

· Drug or alcohol dependency

· Hoarding, self-neglect or other environmental risks

· Previous fires, burns or signs of fire damage

· Safeguarding concerns, including abuse or neglect

· Dependence on carers or others to support daily living

· Living in higher-risk housing or areas of increased deprivation

· Living with or being affected by a child or young person who sets fires

These factors are not considered in isolation. We will use a person-centred approach to understand the circumstances of the individual, identify potential hazards and tailor safety advice and measures to their needs.

We will seek to improve equality of access by:

· Tailoring fire and wider safety advice to individual needs

· Providing appropriate communication and interpretation support

· Using different routes and methods to reach people who may not access traditional services

· Working with partners to identify people who may benefit from prevention intervention

· Using vulnerability and risk information to support earlier intervention

· Providing guidance, training and resources to staff so they can recognise vulnerability and adapt their approach

· Using equality impact assessments when developing and evaluating prevention interventions

Risk will determine the intensity of intervention, while individual need will determine how that intervention is delivered.

Area of focus 1: Home Fire Safety

Reducing Accidental Dwelling Fire Risk and Harm

We aim to reduce both the likelihood and impact of accidental dwelling fires, which remains one of the most serious risks to life in Lancashire. We will focus our prevention activity on the people, homes and communities most at risk, recognising that fire risk is not experienced equally and is often linked to vulnerability, deprivation, age, health, mobility, living alone and higher-risk housing.

Through a consistent, risk-based Home Fire Safety Check (HFSC) model, we will prioritise high-risk households and vulnerable individuals, while ensuring all communities can access appropriate fire safety advice. Interventions will be person-centred, using evidence and local intelligence to tailor advice, support and safety measures to each household’s needs, with the aim of reducing accidental dwelling fires, preventing deaths and serious injuries, and improving people’s ability to escape safely where fires do occur.

What we will do:

· Deliver risk-based Home Fire Safety Checks (HFSC) using a tiered approach

· Prioritise vulnerable individuals and high-risk households

· Use data and intelligence to target deprivation, vulnerability and housing risk

· Deliver face-to-face interventions where risk is highest

· Maintain accessible advice for all through digital and self-service options

Tier 1: Very high and high‑risk households

Face‑to‑face HFSC delivered by Community Safety Advisors.

Examples of factors that may contribute to Tier 1 risk include:

· People living alone who are vulnerable

· Significant mobility or evacuation difficulties

· Older people with additional vulnerabilities

· Smoking within the home

· Significant mental health, cognitive or learning needs

· Drug or alcohol dependency

· Hoarding, self-neglect or significant home hazards

· Previous fire, burns or evidence of fire damage

· Safeguarding concerns

· Referrals from health, social care, housing, police or other partners

· Higher-risk housing combined with individual vulnerability

Tier 2: High‑medium risk households

Face‑to‑face HFSC delivered by operational crews.

This may include households where there are identified risk factors but the level of vulnerability does not require specialist intervention including:

· Emerging or changing vulnerability

· High-risk housing or areas of increased deprivation

· Households identified through partner referral routes

· Households where safety behaviours or environmental conditions indicate increased risk

· Individuals whose circumstances may be moving towards higher risk and require preventative intervention

Tier 3: Low‑risk households

Digital and self‑service HFSC and prevention information.

This will provide accessible safety advice for households with fewer identified risk factors, while maintaining clear routes for reassessment or referral if circumstances change.

How we will measure progress:

· Number and proportion of HFSCs delivered to high-risk households

· Reduction in accidental dwelling fires and related harm

· Evidence of effective risk-based targeting

· Outcomes from HFSC interventions and safeguarding activity

Area of focus 2: Prevent Fire Setting

Preventing Deliberate Fires, Wildfires and Secondary Fires

We aim to reduce deliberate fires, secondary fires and wildfires by focusing prevention activity on the places, behaviours and circumstances where risk is greatest. Deliberate and secondary fires can cause significant harm to people, property, communities and the environment, with risk often concentrated in deprived communities, vacant properties and areas affected by anti-social behaviour or wider social risk.

Through targeted prevention, early intervention and partnership working, we will use incident data, local intelligence and seasonal risk information to identify repeat locations, emerging trends and high-risk behaviours. Activity will include multi-agency arson reduction work, education and youth engagement, place-based campaigns, wildfire prevention and intervention for people displaying fire-setting behaviours. This approach aims to reduce repeat incidents, minimise environmental harm and support safer, more resilient communities.

What we will do:

· Deliver multi-agency arson reduction initiatives

· Target high-risk locations, including vacant properties and custodial settings

· Provide education through youth engagement and early intervention programmes

· Deliver seasonal and place-based wildfire campaigns

· Work with landowners, local authorities and communities to reduce risk

· Use appropriate intervention for people displaying fire-setting behaviours

· Use incident and intelligence data to identify repeat locations, behaviours and emerging risks

Where fire-setting behaviour is identified alongside wider vulnerability, safeguarding or social needs, we will work with relevant partners to support appropriate intervention and reduce the likelihood of repeat behaviour.

How we will measure progress:

· Reduction in deliberate fires, secondary fires and wildfires

· Number and effectiveness of targeted interventions and campaigns

· Engagement with young people and at-risk groups

· Outcomes from partner-led initiatives and joint working

Area of focus 3: Resilience to Severe Weather and Emerging Risk

Reducing Harm from Extreme Weather-Related Incidents

We aim to reduce preventable deaths, serious harm and disruption linked to flooding, water-related incidents, wildfire, extreme heat, severe storms and other seasonal or emerging risks. Lancashire’s coastline, rivers, rural areas and varied communities create different levels of exposure, while some households may need additional support to prepare for, respond to, or recover from severe weather.

We will use seasonal risk information, incident data, local intelligence and emerging weather patterns to target prevention activity where it can add most value. Through education, public messaging, community engagement and established partnership working, we will promote safer behaviours on roads, near water and in the home, while strengthening community resilience and supporting vulnerable households and communities to better understand and manage severe weather and emerging risk.

What we will do:

· Deliver targeted water safety education and prevention activity

· Support and enable partnership approaches to flooding and water risk

· Focus activity where it adds value and avoids duplication

· Promote community awareness and preparedness

How we will measure progress:

· Reduction in water-related fatalities and incidents

· Reach and impact of water safety campaigns

· Evidence of effective partnership delivery

· Community awareness and engagement outcomes

Area of focus 4: Safer Roads

Improving Safety on Our Roads

We aim to reduce preventable harm from road traffic collisions by influencing safer behaviours and targeting prevention activity where it can have the greatest impact. Lancashire’s geography and varied road network create a significant risk of people being killed or seriously injured, with vulnerable road users and those involved in higher-risk behaviours potentially experiencing disproportionate harm.

Working with partners, we will use collision data, local intelligence and partner information to identify priority locations, groups and behaviours. Through targeted road safety education, campaigns and community interventions, we will support meaningful and sustainable behaviour change, helping to reduce serious injuries and fatalities on Lancashire’s roads.

What we will do:

· Deliver evidence-based road safety interventions

· Work with partners to target high-risk groups and locations

· Focus on behaviour change and prevention campaigns

· Support multi-agency approaches to reducing serious injuries and fatalities

How we will measure progress:

· Reduction in RTC fatalities and serious injuries

· Delivery and impact of targeted road safety campaigns

· Evidence of behaviour change in priority groups

· Partner feedback and joint outcomes

Area of focus 5: Stronger Communities

Improving Outcomes for Our Communities

We aim to improve outcomes by identifying vulnerability earlier, safeguarding those at risk and working with partners to reduce preventable harm. Fire and wider emergency risk is often linked to health, housing, social and economic circumstances, so prevention activity will look beyond the immediate fire risk to understand the broader factors that may affect a person’s safety, resilience or ability to access support.

Through a whole-system approach, we will contribute our specialist knowledge of fire and emergency risk while working alongside partners across health, social care, housing, policing, local authorities, voluntary and community organisations and other services. Our staff will be supported and trained to recognise signs of vulnerability, safeguarding concerns and opportunities for early intervention, enabling appropriate referrals, signposting and coordinated support where this can improve outcomes for individuals, households and communities.

We will continue to add value beyond operational response by supporting community resilience, sharing relevant intelligence and using learning from incidents, reviews, data and evaluation to continually improve prevention activity. This approach will help ensure that people and communities receive the right support at the right time, reducing risk, harm and vulnerability before they result in avoidable emergencies.

What we will do:

· Identify, signpost and safeguard vulnerable individuals

· Work with community safety partnerships to improve outcomes beyond emergency response

· Deliver early interventions to reduce risk and harm

· Use data, learning and intelligence to continuously improve services

· Support community programmes and engagement activity

How we will measure progress:

· Number and outcomes of safeguarding referrals and interventions

· Evidence of reduced vulnerability and improved outcomes

· Impact of community engagement and prevention programmes

· Continuous improvement driven by data, learning and evaluation

Partnership and Referral Pathways

Effective partnership working and referral pathways are central to delivering this Strategy. We will work with key partner groups including:

· Lancashire County Council

· District and Borough Councils

· Health and the Integrated Care Board

· Adult and Children’s Social Care

· Lancashire Police

· Housing providers

· North West Ambulance Service

· Safeguarding Boards and partnerships

· Highways partners

· Voluntary and community organisations

· Faith groups

· Education and other relevant partner organisations

We will also contribute to partnership activity arising from the Serious Violence Duty where this supports the prevention of fire, violence, vulnerability and wider community harm.

Referral and Intervention

We will continue to develop clear referral pathways so that information about fire risk, vulnerability and wider concerns can be appropriately shared between partners.

Referrals will be assessed and prioritised according to risk, vulnerability, urgency and the potential for intervention to prevent harm. Where appropriate, interpretation and communication support will be provided to ensure that language, disability or other communication needs do not prevent an individual from accessing prevention services.

Where referral identifies wider needs, we will seek to connect the individual with the appropriate partner service rather than attempting to address needs outside its role.

Information Sharing and Feedback

We will use lawful and proportionate information sharing arrangements to support safeguarding, vulnerability assessment and earlier intervention. Appropriate information may help partners and ourselves to identify escalating vulnerability, repeat incidents, repeat behaviours or circumstances associated with preventable deaths and serious harm.

We will provide appropriate feedback to referring partners, subject to information governance, confidentiality and other relevant requirements. This will support shared learning, improve the quality of referrals and help partners understand the outcomes of prevention interventions.

Initiatives

Initiatives delivered under this Strategy will include:

· Targeted HFSC and Safe and Well visits

· Person-centred fire safety education and personalised safety measures

· Risk‑based education and youth engagement

· Road, water and wildfire and severe weather safety campaigns

· Fire Cadet and King’s Trust programmes aligned to risk

· Multi-agency arson reduction initiatives

· Safeguarding and vulnerability referral pathways

· Partnership and community resilience activity

· Development of new, centrally managed prevention interventions where gaps have been identified, including home‑educated children and adult fire‑setter interventions

· Development of workforce awareness and training with partner organisations

· Targeted activity with voluntary, community and faith organisations

Monitoring and Evaluation

The Strategy will be reviewed annually to ensure continued alignment with the CRMP, emerging risk and national guidance. Performance and outcomes will be reported through existing governance and scrutiny arrangements.

Evaluation will be used to identify what works, where interventions need to be adapted and where emerging risks require changes to prevention activities.

Learning from incidents, safeguarding activity, partner feedback, referrals, evaluation and community engagement will be used to support continuous improvement and ensure prevention resources remain focused where they can have the greatest impact.

The Areas of focus set out in this Prevention Strategy are measurable and will be subject to regular monitoring and review. This will enable LFRS to understand how the strategy is being implemented, track progress against agreed priorities, and identify whether prevention activity is achieving the intended outcomes for our communities.

Performance Measures

We will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency and impact of our prevention activities through relevant performance information, including Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), quality assurance, evaluation findings, seasonal trends and community feedback. This will help us to assess whether activity is targeted towards risk, delivered consistently, and contributing to improved safety outcomes.

The measures used to monitor delivery will include the following KPIs:

· Critical fire risk map score

· Accidental Dwelling Fires (ADF)

· ADF – Harm to people: Casualties

· Accidental building fires (ABF) - (commercial premises)

· ABF (non-commercial premises)

· Deliberate Fires Total

· Deliberate Fires – Dwellings

· Deliberate fires – commercial premises

· Deliberate Fires – Other (rubbish, grassland, vehicles etc.)

· Home Fire Safety Checks (HFSC)

· Numbers of other prevention activities delivered such as Childsafe/ Wasted Lives

Performance information will be reviewed regularly through established service performance arrangements to identify progress, emerging risks, learning and opportunities for improvement. The strategy will be reviewed no later than one year after publication and then annually during the strategy period. Progress will also be reported through the Annual Service Report.

Glossary of Terms and Acronyms

Term / Acronym	Meaning
Accidental Dwelling Fire (ADF)	A fire in a home that starts accidentally. Reducing accidental dwelling fires and related harm is a key focus of this Strategy.
Annual Service Plan	The yearly plan that sets out the actions LFRS will take to deliver its priorities and strategies.
CFA	Lancashire Combined Fire Authority. The public body that oversees Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service.
Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP)	LFRS’s main plan for understanding and reducing fire and rescue-related risks in Lancashire. This Prevention Strategy supports delivery of the CRMP 2027–2032.
Community Safety Advisor (CSA)	A member of staff who delivers targeted prevention activity, including Home Fire Safety Checks and tailored safety advice for higher-risk households.
District Intelligence Profile	A local evidence profile used to understand risk, vulnerability and community need within districts across Lancashire.
District Plans	Local plans that describe how prevention and wider service activity will be delivered in different areas of Lancashire.
Evaluation	The process of reviewing activity and evidence to understand what is working, what needs to improve and whether outcomes are being achieved.
Home Fire Safety Check (HFSC)	A visit or assessment that helps identify fire risks in the home and provides advice, support or safety measures to reduce the likelihood and impact of fire.
Key Performance Indicator (KPI)	A measure used to track performance, progress and impact.
Partner Referral	Information shared by a partner organisation to help identify people, households or places that may benefit from prevention activity or further support.
Person-centred Prevention	An approach that considers individual circumstances, needs and risks so that prevention advice and interventions are tailored to the person or household.
Prevention	Activity that aims to stop fires and other emergencies from happening, or reduce the likelihood and impact of harm when risk is present.
Risk Intelligence	The use of data, evidence, local knowledge, partner information and professional judgement to understand risk and target prevention activity.
Road Traffic Collision (RTC)	A collision involving vehicles, road users or pedestrians. Prevention activity can support safer behaviour and help reduce road-related harm.
Safeguarding	Protecting adults, children and young people who may be at risk of abuse, neglect or harm, and making appropriate referrals where concerns are identified.
Strategic Assessment of Risk (SAoR)	A key source of evidence about current and future risks in Lancashire. It helps shape priorities, planning and resource decisions.
SWOT analysis	Looks at Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
Vulnerability	Circumstances that may increase a person’s likelihood of experiencing harm or reduce their ability to recognise risk, respond to an emergency or escape safely.
Wildfire	An uncontrolled fire involving vegetation, grassland, moorland, woodland or similar outdoor environments. Prevention activity aims to reduce the likelihood and impact of wildfires.

Document Control

Reference
Date
Owner	Head of Prevention and Protection
Author	Area Manager – Head of Prevention and Protection, Caroline Robinson, Sam Pink
Approved by

Date	Version Number	Revision Notes
16/03/2026	V1.0	First Draft
24/08/2026	V2.0	Amendments made to reflect the wording in the draft CRMP 27-32 consultation version
25/08/2026	V2.1	Integration of Caroline Robinson and Liz Sandiford comments and amends
08/09/2026	V2.2	Amends following review by EP and MH.
09/09/2026	V2.3	Amends following EB initial review of strategy structures
15/09/2026	V2.4	Updates further to consultation and feedback from EVGs and rep bodies
07/10/2026	V2.5	EP and MH amends following EB Away Day