Agenda item
Minutes:
The Assistant Chief Fire Officer advised Members that this was the 2nd quarterly report for 2017/18 as detailed in the Risk Management Plan 2017-2022.
The report showed there were 2 negative KPI Exception Reports. An exception report was provided which detailed the reasons for the exception, analysis of the issue and actions being taken to improve performance.
Members focussed on the indicators where an exception report was presented and examined each indicator in turn as follows:-
2.4 Fire Engine Availability – Retained Duty System
This indicator measured the availability of fire engines that were crewed by the retained duty system. It was measured as the percentage of time a fire engine was available to respond compared to the total time in the period.
The percentage of time that RDS crewed engines were available for quarter 2 was 87.73%, previous year quarter 2 was 88.39%, a worsening of 0.66%.
The previous quarter (April to June 2017) recorded 89.61%.
Annual Standard: Above 95%
This was a negative exception report due to the cumulative RDS availability for the three months of quarter 2 being below the standard and outside of the two percent tolerance.
Exception report provided.
The Assistant Chief Fire Officer advised Members that quarter 2 availability had decreased over quarter 1, with the cumulative availability recorded at the lowest level over the last 5 years. To aid local level monitoring, additional analysis had been supplied at pump level, along with a new KPI 2.4.1 which measured RDS availability without wholetime staff imports to supplement RDS staff.
The Retained Duty System Recruitment and Improvement Group would continue to be responsible for progressing areas for improvement, continuing to work on a number of ongoing actions which would strive to deliver incremental improvements in order to strengthen and support the Retained Duty System.
It was noted that the actions being taken to improve performance would be that the new recruits, who started in May 2017 would continue to show an improvement in RDS crew availability when the respective qualifications of Breathing Apparatus (BA) and BA Team Leader had been completed and staff had gained experience to start acting up to cover the Officer in Charge role. There was a minimum of 6 months before a Firefighter was BA qualified, and a further 6 month period of BA experience before acquiring BA Team Leader Skills. Therefore results in availability may only start to be realised during quarter 3. Similarly some stations had suffered from a lack of available driver however, this would start to show improvement when staff members continued to build driving hours in preparation for their Emergency Fire Appliance Driving Course. There were stations where staff on dual contracts made up half of the RDS crew, with the inevitable impact on the RDS availability.
The Retained Support Officer (RSO) role would continue to assist in some of these areas, in particular around recruitment and firefighter/officer development and with the various strengthening and improving work streams, the Service should see a positive effect on availability over time.
The forthcoming WT recruitment campaign would also be an opportunity to promote RDS vacancies. RSO’s were continuing to support the ‘Have a Go’ days and would collate information from potential applicants.
2.4.1 Fire Engine Availability – Retained Duty System (without wholetime detachments)
Subset of KP1 2.4 and provided for information only
This indicator measured the availability of fire engines that were crewed by the retained duty system (RDS) when wholetime detachments were not used to support availability. It was measured by calculating the percentage of time a fire engine was available to respond compared to the total time in the period.
Fire engines were designated as unavailable (off-the-run) for the following reasons:
• Manager deficient
• Crew deficient
• Not enough BA wearers
• No driver
The percentage of time that RDS crewed engines were available for quarter 2 was 84.00%. This excluded the wholetime detachments shown in KPI 2.4.
Standard: As a subset of KPI 2.4 there was no standard attributable to this KPI.
4.2.1 Staff Absence – Excluding Retained Duty System
This indicator measured the cumulative number of shifts (days) lost due to sickness for all wholetime, day crewing plus, day crewing and support staff divided by the total number of staff.
Annual Standard: Not more than 5 shifts lost
Cumulative total number of monthly shifts lost 2.6
Quarter 2 results indicated the number of shifts lost through absence per employee being above the Service target for two month during quarter 2.
Exception report provided.
The Assistant Chief Fire Officer advised Members that during quarter 2 absence statistics showed below target within the months of July and August. Shifts lost showed a steady monthly increase from July through to September both non-uniformed and uniformed. The possible reasons for this were a spike in muscular-skeletal injuries, hospital procedures and mental health, which lead to an increased in longer term absences.
At the end of September the cumulative totals show that non-uniformed staff absence was above target at 2.80 shifts lost per employee, for wholetime staff absence was 2.5 shifts per employee.
Overall absence for all staff with the exception of RDS was 2.57 shifts lost which was above the Service target for this quarter of 2.5 lost shifts.
The Assistant Chief Fire Officer reassured Members that the absence management policy was robust and looked to support staff to return to work. Action taken continued to be early intervention by the Occupational Health Unit and where appropriate, issues around capability due to health issues were reviewed and addressed. The Service would continue to run leadership conferences to assist future managers to understand policy which included absence management. In addition, employees were encouraged to make use of the Employee Assistance Programme.
Members then examined each indicator in turn as follows:-
KPI 1 – Preventing and Protecting
1.1 Risk Map Score
This indicator measured the risk level in each neighbourhood (Super Output Area) determined using fire activity over the previous three fiscal years along with a range of demographic data.
The County risk map score was updated annually, before the end of the first quarter. An improvement was shown by a year on year decreasing ‘score’ value.
Score for 2014-2017 – 32,398, previous year score 32,990.
No exception report required.
CC Perks welcomed the high overall percentage reduction in Very High risk SOA’s. The Assistant Chief Fire Officer confirmed that the risk score for each SOA was calculated using a formula. He then explained that the Service had experienced a reduction of dwelling fires which was due largely to the preventative work the Service had undertaken.
It was agreed that the Assistant Chief Officer would circulate the County risk map to Members outside of the meeting which would identify the particular areas of Lancashire which had experienced a reduction.
1.2 Overall Activity
This indicator measured the number of incidents that the Service attended with one or more pumping appliances.
Quarter 2 activity 3,961 previous year quarter 2 activity 4,017, a decrease of 1.39%.
Total number of incidents 2017/18 – Year to Date, 3,961
Included within this KPI was a new incident type of ‘Gaining Entry’. This was where LFRS had attended on behalf of the North West Ambulance Service. During quarter 2 we attended on 144 occasions.
No exception report required.
1.3 Accidental Dwelling Fires
This indicator reported the number of primary fires where a dwelling had been affected and the cause of the fire had been recorded as 'Accidental' or 'Not known'.
Quarter 2 activity 202, previous year quarter 2 activity 186, an increase of 9%.
Total number of Accidental Dwelling Fires – Year to Date, 202
No exception report required.
1.3.1 Accidental Dwelling Fires – Extent of Damage
This indicator reported the number of primary fires where a dwelling had been affected and the cause of the fire had been recorded as ‘Accidental or Not known’ presented as a percentage extent of fire and heat damage.
Extent of fire and heat damage was limited to: Item ignited first, limited to room of origin, limited to floor of origin and spread beyond floor of origin.
*The ADF activity count was limited to only those ADF’s which had an extent of damage shown above. An improvement was shown if the total percentage of ‘Item first ignited’ and ‘Room of origin’ was greater than the comparable quarter of the previous year.
Percentage of accidental dwelling fires limited to item 1st ignited in quarter 2 22%, quarter 2 of previous year 22%. Percentage limited to room of origin in quarter 2 60%, quarter 2 previous year 65%, limited to floor of origin in quarter 2 9%, quarter 2 previous year 10% and spread beyond floor 9%, previous year 3%.
No exception report required.
1.3.2 Accidental Dwelling Fires – Number of Incidents where occupants have received a Home Fire Safety Check
This indicator reported the number of primary fires where a dwelling had been affected and the cause of fire had been recorded as ‘Accidental or Not known’ by the extent of the fire and heat damage. The HFSC must be a completed job (i.e. not a refusal) carried out by LFRS personnel or partner agency. The HFSC must have been carried out within 12 months prior of the fire occurring.
|
|
2017/18 |
2016/17 |
||
|
|
ADF’s with previous HFSC |
% of ADF’s with previous HFSC |
ADF’s with previous HFSC |
% of ADF’s with previous HFSC |
|
Q1 |
17 |
7% |
15 |
7% |
|
Q2 |
21 |
10% |
13 |
7% |
No exception report required.
1.4 Accidental Dwelling Fire Casualties
This indicator reported the number of fire related fatalities, slight and serious injuries at primary fires where a dwelling had been affected and the cause of fire had been recorded as ‘Accidental or Not known’. A slight injury was defined as; a person attending hospital as an outpatient (not precautionary check). A serious injury was defined as; at least an overnight stay in hospital as an in-patient.
|
Casualty Status |
2017/18 Quarter 2 |
2016/17 Quarter 2 |
|
Fatal |
0 |
0 |
|
Victim went to hospital visit, injuries appeared Serious |
0 |
2 |
|
Victim went to hospital visit, injuries appeared Slight |
15 |
6 |
|
TOTAL |
15 |
8 |
No exception report required.
1.5 Accidental Building Fires (Non-Dwellings)
This indicator reported number of primary fires where the property type was ‘Building’ and the property sub type did not equal ‘Dwelling’ and the cause of fire had been recorded as ‘Accidental’ or ‘Not known’.
|
Total number of incidents |
2017/18 Quarter 2 |
2016/17 Quarter 2 |
|
88 |
80 |
No exception report required.
1.5.1 Accidental Building Fires (Non-Dwellings) – Extent of Damage
This indicator reported the number of primary fires where the property type was a building and the property sub-type was not a dwelling and the cause of fire had been recorded as ‘Accidental or Not known’ presented as a percentage extent of fire and heat damage.
This indicator showed the total number of Accidental Building Fires where damage was limited to room of origin, limited to floor of origin and spread beyond floor of origin.
*The ABF activity count was limited to only those ABF’s which had an extent of damage shown above.
An improvement was shown if the total percentage of ‘Item first ignited’ and ‘Room of origin’ was greater than the comparable quarter of the previous year.
Quarter 2 Accidental Building Fires activity, 64: -
|
|
2017/18 |
|
2016/17 |
||||||
|
ADF activity |
Item 1st ignited |
Room of origin |
Floor of origin |
Spread beyond floor of origin |
Item 1st ignited |
Room of origin |
Floor of origin |
Spread beyond floor of origin |
|
|
Q1 |
95 |
21% |
31% |
16% |
33% |
11% |
41% |
17% |
31% |
|
Q2 |
64 |
33% |
31% |
13% |
23% |
6% |
52% |
13% |
29% |
No exception report required.
1.6 Deliberate Fires
This indicator reported the number of primary and secondary fires where the cause of fire had been recorded as 'Deliberate'. Secondary fires were the majority of outdoor fires including grassland and refuse fires unless they involved casualties or rescues, property loss or more appliances attended. They included fires in single derelict buildings.
|
Deliberate Fire Type |
2017/18 Quarter 2 |
2016/17 Quarter 2 |
|
1.6.1 Deliberate Fires – Anti-Social Behaviour |
428 |
422 |
|
1.6.2 Deliberate Fires – Dwellings |
33 |
32 |
|
1.6.3 Deliberate Fires – Non-Dwellings |
40 |
43 |
No exception report required.
1.7 High / Very High Risk Home Fire Safety Checks
This indicator reported the percentage of completed Home Fire Safety Checks (HFSC), excluding refusals, carried out where the risk score had been determined to be either high or very high.
|
|
2017/18 |
2016/17 |
|
% of High and Very High HFSC outcomes |
% of High and Very High HFSC outcomes |
|
|
Q1 |
68% |
79% |
|
Q2 |
71% |
75% |
No exception report required.
CC Perks advised that in his role as Member Champion for the Authority and leading on Dementia he hoped that we could record the number of people the Service assisted with Dementia. This was either to partners or by issuing Dementia Buddies via Dementia Leads and requested to arrange a meeting with the CFA Chairman, CC DeMolfetta at a later date. It was agreed that a presentation on Home Fire Safety Checks (incorporating Safe and Well principles) would be brought back to the next Performance Committee.
The Deputy Chief Fire Officer reassured Members the Service was currently in the process of training all operational firefighters in the principle of broadening Safe & Well, with Dementia being one element.
1.8 Road Safety Education Evaluation
This indicator reported the percentage of participants of the Wasted Lives and Childsafe Plus education packages that showed a positive change to less risky behaviour following the programme; based on comparing the overall responses to an evaluation question before and after the course.
|
|
2017/18 (cumulative) |
2016/17 (cumulative) |
||
|
Total participants |
% positive influence on participants’ behaviour |
Total participants |
% positive influence on participants’ behaviour |
|
|
Q1 |
1441 |
85% |
1832 |
87% |
|
Q2 |
2259 |
85% |
2847 |
85% |
No exception report required.
1.9.1Fire Safety Enforcement – Known Risk
This indicator reported on the percentage of premises that have had a Fire Safety Audit as a percentage of the number of all known premises in Lancashire to which The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applied.
|
Number of premises |
Number of premises audited to date |
% of all premises audited Year end: 2017/18 |
% of all premises audited Year end: 2016/17 |
|
31735 |
17623 |
56% |
56% |
No exception report required.
1.9.2 Fire Safety Enforcement – Risk Reduction
This indicator reported the percentage of Fire Safety Audits carried out within the period resulting in enforcement action. Enforcement action was defined as one or more of the following: notification of deficiencies, action plan, enforcement notice, alterations notice or prohibition notice.
|
Period |
Satisfactory audits 2017/18 |
Requiring formal activity – 2017/18 |
Requiring informal activity – 2017/18 |
|
Q1 |
25% |
7% |
66% |
|
Q2 |
26% |
9% |
65% |
No exception report required.
KPI 2 – Responding to Emergencies
2.1.1 Critical Fire Response – 1st Fire Engine Attendance
This indicator reported the ‘Time of Call’ (TOC) and ‘Time in Attendance’ (TIA) of the first fire engine arriving at the incident in less than the relevant response standard.
The response standards included call handling and fire engine response time for the first fire engine attending a critical fire, these are as follows:-
· Very high risk area = 6 minutes
· High risk area = 8 minutes
· Medium risk area = 10 minutes
· Low risk area = 12 minutes
The response standards were determined by the risk map score and subsequent risk grade for the location of the fire.
Standard: to be in attendance within response standard target on 90% of occasions.
Quarter 2 – 1st pump response 87.39%, previous year quarter 2 was 88.82%
No exception report required.
2.1.2 Critical Fire Response – 2nd Fire Engine Attendance
This indicator reported the time taken for the second fire engine to attend a critical fire incident measured from the time between the second fire engine arriving and the time it was sent to the incident. The target is determined by the risk map score and subsequent risk grade for the location of the fire.
Standard: to be in attendance within response standard target on 85% of occasions.
Quarter 2 – 2nd pump response 88.04%, previous year quarter 2 was 88.73%
No exception report required.
2.2.1 Critical Special Service Response – 1st Fire Engine Attendance
This indicator measured how long it took the first fire engine to respond to critical non-fire incidents such as road traffic collisions, rescues and hazardous materials incidents. For these incidents there was a single response standard which measured call handling and fire engine response time. The response standard for the first fire engine attending a critical special call was 13 minutes.
Standard: To be met on 90% of occasions
Quarter 2 results 88.05% achieved against a target of 90%, previous year quarter 2, 85.56%.
No exception report required.
In response to a question raised by the chairman CC Holgate, the Assistant Chief Fire Officer confirmed that pump attendance would be determined by the nearest available and quickest resource to the location of the incident.
2.3 Fire Engine Availability – Wholetime, Day Crewing and Day Crewing Plus
This indicator measured the availability of fire engines that were crewed by Wholetime, day crewing and day crewing plus shifts. It was measured as the percentage of time a fire engine was available to respond compared to the total time in the period.
Fire engines were designated as unavailable for the following reasons:
· Mechanical
· Crew deficient
· Engineer working on station
· Alternate crew
· Appliances change over
· Debrief
· Lack of equipment
· Miscellaneous
· Unavailable
· Welfare
Annual Standard: Above 99.5%
Quarter 2 availability 99.47%, previous year quarter 2 - 99.46%
No exception report required.
2.5 Staff Accidents
This indicator measured the number of staff accidents.
Total number of staff accidents 2017/18 – Year to Date, 32
Quarter 2 results indicate percentage pass within standard
No exception report required.
KPI 3 – Delivering Value for Money
3.1 Progress Against Savings Programme
Annual budget for 2017/18 - £53.9m
Budget to end of quarter 2 - £27.2m
Spend for the period to date was £26.9m
Underspend for the period £0.3m
Variance -0.56%
No exception report required.
3.2 Overall User Satisfaction
Total responses 1706; number satisfied 1692
% satisfied 99.18% against a standard of 97.5%
Variance 1.72%
There have been 1706 people surveyed since April 2012.
In quarter 2 of 2017/18 – 76 people were surveyed. 76 responded that they were ‘very satisfied’ or ‘fairly satisfied’ with the service they received.
No exception report required.
KPI 4 – Engaging With Our Staff
4.1 Overall Staff Engagement
This indicator measured overall staff engagement. The engagement index score was derived from the answers given by staff that related to how engaged they felt with the Service.
Three times a year all staff was asked the same questions in on online survey to gauge engagement. Period 2 encompassed the period of August to November, with the results reported at the end of quarter 3.
|
Period |
2017/18 |
2016/17 |
||
|
Number of Replies |
Engagement Index |
Number of Replies |
Engagement Index |
|
|
1 |
- |
- |
220 |
62% |
|
2 |
- |
- |
141 |
64% |
4.2.2 Staff Absence – Retained Duty System
This indicator measured the percentage of contracted hours lost due to sickness for all retained duty staff.
Annual Standard: Not more than 2.5% lost as % of available hours of cover
Quarter 2 results indicate percentage pass within standard
Cumulative retained absence (as % of available hours cover) 1.02%
No exception report required.
RESOLVED: - That the Committee:
i) Endorsed the report and noted the contents of the 2 negative KPI exception reports.
Supporting documents:
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