Agenda item

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer presented a report on the requirement to carry out and consult on an Emergency Cover Review (ECR), to ensure appropriate future provision of our resources and crewing arrangements.

 

The review was scheduled to take place in 2016, however it was moved to facilitate consolidation of the impacts, through the implementation period of the 2013 review.

 

The 2017 review sought to deliver high standards of operational response, ensuring that resources were such that when an emergency happened a response was quick with the right fire appliances, specialist vehicles and crewing arrangements to deal with the incident effectively and safety.

 

The review had concluded and supported a no change proposal in terms of our fire appliances, specials appliances and associated crewing arrangements.

 

Area Manager, Ben Norman then went through the detail of the report:

 

Scope

In determining the scope of the 2017 ECR, the following was agreed at the CFA Planning Committee on March 20^th 2017:

 

A)   Validating the deliverables / outcomes / actual performance from within the previous ECR as we operate within a business as usual period beyond the implementation.

 

B)   Developing a subsequent Baseline Model for 2017 inclusive of the above.

 

C)   Determining the theoretical potential impact of a series of changes to the number, location, response capabilities and crewing of fire appliances across the county.

 

More specifically but not exclusively:

 

i.      Realising a wider Emergency First Responding capability.

ii.    Determining a revised response to Automatic Fire Alarms.

iii.   Developing a Pre-Alerting policy.

iv.   Responding to emergent risk.

v.     Acknowledging a strategic commitment in strengthening and improving LFRS Retained Duty Systems (RDS).

 

In order to validate the current response arrangements and to test predictive impacts LFRS commissioned the services of Process Evolution an external specialist organisation. This enabled the use of predictive modelling software in determining and subsequently validating the potential impact of any changes to the number, location and crewing of fire appliances across the county.

 

Validating the 2013 ECR and Developing the Baseline Model for 2017

As a measure of the 2013 ECR and the predictive element of the proposals derived through theoretical modelling, Process Evolution undertook a validation exercise, guided by a terms of reference, measured against the proposals implemented during the three year cycle 2014-17.

 

The ‘actual’ performance, which was obtained through drawing upon a two year pre implementation and up to a three year post implementation data set, representative of the period and creating a baseline position, indicated:

 

1. A marginal increase in overall response times.
2. Overall activity levels lower than predicted.
3. Some improvement in RDS response times.
4. An increase in the number of Critical Incidents (specifically Critical Special Services).

 

Acknowledging the operating environment, and the requirement to realise efficiency savings during the life-cycle of the 2013 ECR, the impact across the organisation in terms of performance had been comparable and in some cases better than predicted.

 

Summary of Findings

The critical fire risk score had decreased by 4% within Lancashire between the 2013-14 and 2016-17 periods.

 

There were 8 fewer Very High Risk Super Output Areas and 17 fewer High Risk.

 

Since 2011-14 critical fire incidents had decreased by 13%; a trend also shown during the last 3 fiscal years, exceeding the standard we set ourselves.

 

However, our first pump attendance times, though an improvement over the previous year, were below the standard which we set ourselves. Our second pump attendance times were within standard.

 

The spate conditions recorded during the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016, along with the collaborative work being undertaken by LFRS had the effect of critical special service incidents increasing by 24%; a trend that continued over the last 3 years.  

 

Non critical primary fires had decreased by less than 1% whereas secondary fires had decreased by 18%.

 

Non critical special service incidents had risen by 41% during the period/s 2011-14 and 2014-17, largely due to the storm related flooding incidents of 2015 and the additional collaborative work undertaken with the North West Ambulance Service and Lancashire Constabulary.

 

The report set out at County and District levels the changes to the Critical Fire Risk Scores.

 

Determining Theoretical Impacts

 

i. Realising a wider Emergency First Responding capability.

 

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer advised that when the new Fire Inspection process commenced it would ask whether we had an understanding of current and future demands therefore LFRS had scoped what it would look like to be operationally busier.

 

A projection in terms of a numerical increase in Special Service calls had been developed, outlining the impact of a potential increase in operational activity across the organisation. An uplift of 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 incidents had been modelled for illustration only in determining both the impact on Key Performance Indicator (KPI) performance and potential numerical increases at an Organisational, District and Station level.

 

An increase of call volume to emergent response arrangements would have a small negative impact upon LFRS’ core KPI’s as summarised in the report.  It was noted that an increase of 10,000 incidents per annum would create comparable response levels to the 2006/07 year, this being circa 25,000 emergency response calls.

 

Following discussion Members were supportive to consult on the principle that the Service extended its collaborative response arrangements.

 

ii. Determining a revised response to Automatic Fire Alarms / Unwanted Fire Signals.

 

During 2016/17 LFRS mobilised to 4,103 Automatic Fire Alarms (AFA) / Unwanted Fire Signals (UWFS). This was an increase on previous years whereby this call type accounted for 3,618 incidents in 2015/16 and 3,410 in 2014/15.

 

A review of the organisational policy had been undertaken with proposals having been developed as set out in appendix 2 now considered.  A summary of the AFA / UWFS recommendations is provided below:

 

•   Option 1: non-attendance for all non-domestic, non-sleeping buildings during 08:00 to 18:00 (Reduction of 22%, 900 less call-outs).

 

•   Option 2 – Non-attendance for all non-domestic non-sleeping risk premises (extending our Option 1 policy to 24 hours) (Reduction of 41%, 1,700 less call-outs).

 

It was noted that this approach was consistent with the approach already adopted by many Services, both nationally and regionally.

 

The reduction in AFA call volume would naturally deliver benefits in terms of reduced risk of vehicle accidents whilst travelling to such calls, reduced fuel use and subsequent emissions. Moreover it would provide an opportunity to better utilise in the region of 1,700 hours of time per annum; this becoming available for critical emergency incidents and other non-emergency response work such as preparedness or prevention related activities.

 

Although appreciative of the proposed phased approach and the national and regional position, CC Shedwick expressed concern for small businesses and school buildings including subsequent insurance implications.  He also felt that the scope of the consultation would not be broad enough to include all those potentially affected.  CC Clarke added his concern that any non-attendance to an automatic fire alarm on a large industrial estate which resulted in a fire would lead to it becoming a larger incident.

 

In response the Deputy Chief Fire Officer confirmed that the intention was for a phased approach.  After the proposed implementation of Option 1 (which related to non-sleeping buildings during the day) for 12 months in 2018/19 the intention would be for the Combined Fire Authority to consider a review of the analysis of 2018/19, before to determining the potential to implement Option 2.

 

Following further discussion Members determined the revised response to Automatic Fire Alarms / Unwanted Fire Signals be removed from the ECR consultation at this time and the Chairman of the Authority to be apprised of this. 

 

iii. Developing a Pre-Alerting policy and evaluating a Dynamic Cover tool.

 

Pre-Alerting was a method of operation at North West Fire Control (NWFC) whereby once an addressable location was identified a mobilising type message was dispatched. This enabled the responding crews to cease any current tasks and position themselves upon the fire appliance. The call handler at NWFC would continue with the emergency call whilst the simultaneous activity was ongoing, and once the full details of the incident had been attained, they would mobilise the appliance in the usual manner. Early pilot data from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service demonstrated that they were currently mobilising circa 15 seconds quicker to incidents on average. After 10 months the success rate of mobilisation when pre-alerted was over 80%.

 

Pre-alerting would naturally deliver benefits in terms of performance as outlined in graphics in the report, but moreover pre-alerting would provide an opportunity to mobilise appliances sooner to critical emergency incidents.

 

In response to a question raised by CC Clarke regarding any additional costs for retained duty staff, the Assistant Chief Fire Officer advised that given the more remote geographical rural locations of the retained stations it was more likely the right station would be pre-alerted.  Inaccuracies were more likely in urban areas where the stations were closer.  Should however, an RDS station be pre-alerted and need to stand down there would be a payment made to staff.

 

Members considered the recommendation in the report to approve pre-alerting as a policy position, utilising an initial pilot approach across appropriate duty systems at stations where a performance benefit may be attained.

 

Dynamic Cover tool type software systems were utilised by emergency response organisations in order to maximise the available response resources through geographic movement. This had particular benefit when there were large scale incidents or multiple incidents in close proximity. It was proposed that further work was commissioned to identify if LFRS could yield benefits such as increased pump attendance time performance through such systems.

 

Members were supportive of the proposal to consult on the development of a pre-alerting policy and evaluate a dynamic cover tool.

 

In response to a question from CC Parkinson, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer advised that following the Grenfell Tower Fire Tragedy in London the Minister of State for Policing and the Fire Service, Nick Hurd MP had confirmed that all regulations would be reviewed together with any recommendations or revisions which came from the investigation.  The Deputy Chief Fire Officer advised that Fire and Rescue Services would want to have an input into that review.  He confirmed that Lancashire had 4 aerial appliances and 1 stinger appliance which was currently being evaluated.  Lancashire did not have a pre-determined response for high-rise buildings which required an aerial appliance to respond in the first instance; this was for the Officer In Charge to determine.

 

Consultation

It was agreed that consultation was developed digitally with feedback requests to a specific email account.  LFRS would cascade the proposals and consultation arrangements through the Service website, social media and press release resources for the engagement with the community of Lancashire.  An electronic notification would be sent to formal partners and it was recommended that the ECR was made available for 12 weeks due to the summer holiday period.

 

The Planning Committee considered the ECR proposals and

 

RESOLVED: -

 

i)             That the principle that LFRS extend its collaborative response arrangements be approved for consultation;

ii)            That the revised response to Automatic Fire Alarms / Unwanted Fire Signals be removed from the ECR consultation at this time;

iii)           That pre-alerting as a policy position be approved for consultation, utilising an initial pilot approach across appropriate duty systems at stations where a performance benefit may be attained;

iv)           That a no change ECR for 2017-20 with regards to LFRS’s 58 Fire Appliances and the associated crewing arrangements be approved for consultation;

v)            To undertake a 12-week consultation commencing 19 July 2017 – 11 October 2017.