Agenda item

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer presented the report.

 

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) was required to review emergency response arrangements periodically to ensure that provision remained effective and consummate with its dynamic risk profile. This process was a robust assessment of historic data and emergent risk and was delivered in the format of an Emergency Cover Review (ECR).

 

The changes identified in the ECR 2022 reflected the most effective and efficient use of resources for the whole of Lancashire. The Authority agreed all the proposed changes on 19 December 2022 which would result in LFRS:

 

• Maintaining all 39 fire stations and 58 fire appliances;
• Maintaining its outstanding response standards;
• Creating an increase in overall firefighter jobs by eight.

 

An ECR implementation plan was developed with five key workstreams, with updates on the workstreams detailed as follows:

 

1.     Introduce more resilient and flexible crewing arrangements

 

The Service had hoped to introduce more flexible crewing arrangements if agreement could be reached with trade unions. However, the proposed flexible wholetime duty system was not agreed by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). The Service subsequently proposed a trial of flexible rota management and leave arrangements; however, an agreement could not be reached. Therefore, changes of duty systems at some stations would still take place but with the re-introduction of the 2-2-4 wholetime duty system as opposed to flexible wholetime.

 

Engagement sessions had taken place with all the members of staff affected. Implementation of the changes to crewing arrangements were led by people’s preferences in terms of the duty system they wished to work, subject to the skill requirements and the demands of the Service. Members of staff permanently employed on Day Crewing Plus (DCP) stations were offered a role at an alternative DCP station, or a position at their current station depending on their preference with some members of staff securing promotion opportunities. Following engagement with staff affected by the ECR, the Service had collated the preferences of staff who would be displaced and had informed them of their new postings upon implementation of the ECR changes.

 

A training needs analysis had been completed and training was underway to meet the needs of the Service and staff, although it was anticipated that there would be some short-term challenges around the availability of some of the Service’s special skills until the training was completed. For example, training around bariatric rescues, where, in some circumstances, the next nearest resource would be mobilised and/ or detachments considered.

 

Property alterations at Morecambe, Fleetwood and Skelmersdale had been agreed which would support and accommodate the increase in staff at those stations. Station engagement sessions had been held with staff at those stations to communicate the changes to them.

 

Implementation of the change of duty systems and establishment numbers was planned for 1 March 2024. All changes, with the exception of Penwortham, would take place at the same time as follows:

 

·     Morecambe, Fleetwood and Skelmersdale (changing from DCP to 2-2-4 Wholetime) increasing establishment numbers from 14 to 24;

·     St Annes (changing from DCP to Flexible Day Crewing) reducing establishment numbers from 14 to 13;

·     Hyndburn, South Shore and Lancaster (remaining 2-2-4 Wholetime) reducing establishment numbers from 28 to 24;

·     Darwen, Rawtenstall, Nelson and Bispham (remaining DCP) reducing establishment numbers from 14 to 13;

·     Fulwood, Bacup, Ormskirk and Leyland (remaining Flexible Day Crewing) reducing from 14 to 13;

·     Penwortham will remain as DCP whilst the Preston area review is carried out, the establishment number will reduce from 14 to 13 in line with other DCP stations.

 

With the resultant changes, there would be an overall increase in wholetime members of staff by 8 with 12 additional supervisory manager positions as below:

 

Role	Current Total	New Total	Difference +/-
Watch Manager B (WMB)	31	28	-3
Watch Manager A (WMA)	12	24	+12
Crew Manager (CM)	89	92	+3
Fire Fighter (FF)	370	366	-4
	502	510	+8

 

Due to the increase in overall establishment numbers, plus a significant increase in Crew and Watch Manager opportunities arising as a result of the ECR, the Service delivered an additional supervisory talent gateway promotion process. Following this process, the Service had filled the majority of posts recognising that, at a small number of stations, there might be some interim acting up arrangements pending further development.

 

County Councillor Hennessy thanked the Officers and staff involved for their work on the ECR and asked if the required efficiencies had been made even though the original proposed arrangements had changed due to non-agreement by the FBU. The Deputy Chief Fire Officer advised that the FBU did not support the DCP duty system and the number of stations facilitating DCP had reduced from 11 to 7 (eventually 6), however the FBU would not agree an alternative flexible wholetime system, and consequently, the Service had reverted to the 2-2-4 Wholetime system with 24 members of staff which equated to 1 less member of staff per watch, ensuring cost efficiencies. The Dynamic Cover Tool (DCT) and overtime would assist to effectively manage the reduction of staff, and the FBU were prepared to discuss the possibility of flexible leave arrangements.

 

In response to a query from County Councillor Hennessy, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer confirmed that Watch Managers joined crews on appliances deployed to incidents.

 

2.     Optimise emergency cover through dynamic cover software

 

The dynamic cover software was now in use in LFRS, both within the Command Support Room at Service Headquarters and through the mobile devices of all Flexi Duty Officers. The software had been used successfully during a number of large-scale incidents and periods of high incident activity, to move resources according to the risk.

 

The next phase of this project was to embed the software and its use at North West Fire Control (NWFC). A standalone facility had been installed on the Lancashire pod at NWFC so that Control Room Operators could familiarise themselves with the software. The Deputy Chief Fire Officer highlighted that LFRS was currently the only Service in the North West using the software and further work would take place with NWFC to embed the software into their core business.

 

In response to a question raised by County Councillor Hennessy as to which officers were supporting NWFC with the establishment of the DCT, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer informed that Watch Manager, Chris Archer, and Group Manager, Tom Cookson, from the Response and Emergency Planning Team provided the link between LFRS and NWFC.

 

3.     Strengthen our response to climate change emergencies

 

Investing in Four Fire Appliances with Off-Road Capabilities

The Service had concluded a procurement process and had awarded a contract for the first large fire appliance with off-road capabilities to Angloco. It was anticipated that this appliance would be delivered to LFRS during quarter 3 of 2024/25.

 

The Service would now undertake a procurement process to invest in a smaller off-road equivalent. The procurement of a smaller off-road fire appliance was anticipated to be quicker, and the ambition was for it to be in Service within the next 12 months. Both vehicles would then be evaluated prior to the potential purchase of two further vehicles (one large and one small).

 

Introduce Flood Water Incident Managers and Flood Water Tactical Advisors

Eight flexi duty officers had been trained as Flood Water Incident Managers. These officers would be informed of any incidents within the water or large area flooding, and they would either attend the incident or provide advice remotely depending on the nature of the incident. Two Flood Water Tactical Advisors were yet to be trained as this was a nationally run accredited course and LFRS was awaiting availability.

 

In response to a query raised by County Councillor Rigby in relation to training Flood Water Tactical Advisors in flood risk knowledge specific to Lancashire, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer explained that the Service had fully trained Swift Water Rescue Technicians across the county situated in areas of risk along with a number of Flexi-Duty Managers trained in specialist capability. In the event of a major incident, resources could be drawn from across the country through national resilience arrangements which supported resilience at national level. The Assistant Chief Fire Officer added that flood arrangements were reflected in the Service’s wildfire arrangements which included expertise within the Service and individuals trained for national deployment.

 

4.     Strengthen firefighting and rescue capabilities in high-rise and commercial buildings

 

Introduce a 45m Aerial Ladder Platform (ALP)

The Service’s largest ever ALP was currently in build and should be delivered during quarter 1 of 2024/25. There would then be a period of familiarisation and training for operational crews prior to the appliance going on the run at Preston.

 

Invest in two Additional Water Towers

The new appliances were due for delivery during quarter 3 of 2024/25. Similar to the new ALP, there would be a period of familiarisation and training prior to the appliances going on the run, which were anticipated to be located at St Annes and Lancaster. Due to the current state of the motor industry globally, some delays had been encountered, particularly around vehicle parts which had caused a delay in the manufacturing of these vehicles.

 

5.     Broaden on-call firefighting capabilities to strengthen operational response

 

Aerial Ladder Platform (ALP) Driving

On Call staff at Hyndburn were now trained to drive the ALP to incidents and they had already successfully utilised this skill on a number of occasions by driving the ALP to incidents. On Call staff at Morecambe had completed driver training in November 2023 and were also now trained to drive the ALP to incidents which went live in December 2023.

 

Command Support Unit (CSU)

The CSU went live on 1 November 2023 and was crewed by On Call staff from Bolton-le-Sands and Carnforth. The CSU had attended two significant incidents since its introduction with both being large commercial building fires. The first incident was in Longridge with the second being the Supaskips incident in Lancaster where it had provided an effective command support resource over a prolonged period.

 

On Call and Specials Review

The On Call review was progressing and had identified several additional options to strengthen operational response. These items alongside the implementation of the Specials Review, would see On Call staff being developed to support a number of specialist appliances in the future. The Service was currently exploring options around potentially training the On Call staff at Lancaster in the swift water rescue specialist skill.

 

County Councillor Shedwick commented that he welcomed the development of On-Call staff in swift water rescue and to drive the ALP to incidents.

 

Resolved: that the report be noted and endorsed.