Agenda item

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) presented a report on the Service's Strategic Assessment of Risk for 2025/26.

Risk in Lancashire would always remain dynamic: it changed over time, differed by area and demographic, and needed different interventions to reduce the likelihood of the risk occurring or to lessen its consequences. These risks were identified in the Strategic Assessment of Risk (SAoR) which was refreshed annually and was also informed by the Lancashire Resilience Forum Community Risk Register and the services Political, Economic, Socio-cultural, Technological and Infrastructure, Environmental, Legislative and Organisational (PESTELO) analysis. Through its risk management framework, the Service continually assessed changing risk and prioritised its response framework. 

The Strategic Assessment of Risk reflected the knowledge and experience of a variety of specialist departments and utilised Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) Incident Recording System (IRS) data to derive a data driven methodology that highlighted the incident types that posed the greatest risk to the county of Lancashire and the individuals who lived and worked within it. 

This year’s document built on previous iterations as LFRS sought to continually improve its risk management processes. Pages 13 – 76 of the agenda pack detailed a number of risks including;

• Political

o   UK Government Fire Reform White Paper

o   Wars, conflicts and political unrest

·         Economic

o   Deprivation

o   Inflation/ Cost of living

o   Fuel Poverty

·         Socio-Cultural

o   Population changes

o   Dwellings and households

o   Cultural Diversity

o   Health and Wellbeing

·         Technological (and Infrastructure)

o   Emerging Technology – Electrical vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems

o   Emerging Technology – Hydrogen

o   Artificial Intelligence/ Robotics/ Autonomous Vehicles

o   Infrastructure

·         Environment

o   Climate change – wildfires

o   Climate change – flooding

o   Built environment

·         Legal

o   The Building Safety Act 2022

o   The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022

o   The Fire Safety Act 2021

o   Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023

·         Organisational

o   Risk that service funding over the medium term was insufficient to achieve 2022-27 CRMP objectives

o   LFRS resilience issues e.g. staff availability, recruitment, retention, loss of key staff

o   Impact of public inquiries e.g. Grenfell and Manchester Arena

Pages 49- 73 of the agenda pack detailed the risk associated against the 32 incident types with commercial property fires identified as the highest risk. 

In response to a question from County Councillor E Worthington in relation to types of commercial property, the DCFO explained that since the coronavirus pandemic there had been an increase in deliberate fires across commercial properties, this also included within prison environments. Additionally, there were a number of farm fires. Area Manager (AM) Tom Powell added that the risk was centred on the building type rather than the causation of the fire with a number of buildings derelict former commercial buildings.

In relation to the heat map on page 74 of the agenda pack, County Councillor E Worthington asked if deprivation was driving the increased risk. The DCFO explained that deprivation was a significant factor of the increased risk and added that some of the risk in Blackpool could be attributed to the number of derelict hotels within the Blackpool area since the pandemic. The Director of Corporate Services (DoCS) explained that the fair funding review formula had not been updated since 2013/14 with 58% relating to population and 10% deprivation, due to bigger changes in population in other areas Lancashire would see a funding cut of 7%, although this was still in consultation.

At 10:18 County Councillors E Worthington left the meeting and U Arif joined the meeting.

In response to a question from County Councillor S Asghar in relation to additional resources and training for electric vehicle battery fires, the DCFO explained that there were high power ‘cold cutting’ systems that were used in some of the Scandinavian countries that were being explored along with the use of large fire blankets that could be used to restrict oxygen. However the use of a blanket could risk the battery reigniting once it had been removed. Manchester Fire and Rescue Service were using a mobile skip type vehicle to submerge cars allowing them to be towed away safely. AM Powell added that LFRS was working with recovery companies and educating partners in relation to the storage of electric vehicles following fires.

County Councillor E Worthington rejoined the meeting at 10:20.

Councillor G Baker asked how contaminated water was disposed of after use, the DCFO explained that the polluter was responsible for safe disposal of any contaminated water and in the case of electric vehicle fires this would be the responsibility of the car owner/ insurers. He added that LFRS would take all the necessary steps to protect drains during incidents and would work with partners including the environmental agency to help contain and subsequently remove contaminated water.

In response to a question from County Councillor E Worthington in relation to applying pressure to electric vehicle manufacturers, the DCFO commented that there were pros and cons to electric vehicles and explained that the National Fire Chief Council (NFCC) could lobby government in relation to this and he would report concerns into the appropriate NFCC workstream.

Resolved: That the Planning Committee noted and endorsed the Strategic Assessment of Risk for publication.