Agenda item

(To receive a report by Ryan Stacey, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, which provides the Committee with an update on progress against the Integrated Risk Management Plan 2020-2024)

Consideration was given to a report by the Assistant Chief Fire Officer committee members with an update on progress against the Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP) 2020-2024.

Members were advised that the IRMP and planning process and frameworks had been restructured and to include four delivery frameworks and an overarching framework which articulated the service's approach to evaluation.

Performance of the plan was monitored by a service delivery board which was responsible for the delivery of high risk, high complexity or high value projects to support the IRMP.

The current programme included projects such as:

replacement equipment to mobilise fire engines, both on fire stations and in the

control room

replacement technical response units

replacement emergency services communications equipment and infrastructure

replacement mobile data terminals

A risk identified in the IRMP was the impact of climate change and the increased instances of flooding which had a service level impact on resourcing for protracted periods which resulted in a cost pressure. As a result, LFR had purchased four trailer-mounted, high-capacity flood pumps which would mean that the service could respond to flooding incidents whilst still being able to respond to other incidents.

The report proposed that LFR continued to work with the Executive Councillor for Fire & Rescue and Cultural Services to develop an improved set of performance indicators which could be better scrutinised by the Committee. 

The Committee considered the report and during the discussion the following points were noted:

• The Executive Councillor for Fire & Rescue and Cultural Services thanked LFR officers and colleagues for continuing to respond to challenges during the pandemic.
• The committee welcomed the purchase of new flood pumps. It was confirmed that it was not a statutory duty to respond to flooding events but the Fire Service, however the service wanted to ensure they could respond to the risks communities were experiencing.
• There was sufficient resource within the service to respond to reported incidents, despite the challenges faced by the need to rely on on-call firefighters to maintain a service.
• The failure to meet the target for responding to high risk and critical residents smoke alarms within 5 days was not met for a number of reasons, which was mainly due to the individual being vulnerable or having complex needs meaning there was a request to have somebody else present at the visit. This meant that not all visits were able to be facilitated within the 5 day target.  Members were reassured that the reason that the target had not been met was due to external issues outside of the services control.
• The Assistant Chief Fire Officer emphasised the importance of the What Three Words application for addressing the location of emergency incidents and encouraged Members to promote the message to the public. Opportunity for Councillors to communicate the message.
• The rural nature of Lincolnshire meant that there could be longer response times to incidents. For this reason, LFR benchmarked against councils with a similar demographic.
• The Scrutiny Officer was working to identify dates for potential visits to the control room and the County Emergency Centre and invitations would be sent out in due course.
• LFR worked with other partners to identify areas which were more susceptible to flooding issues to ensure that plans could be put in place to mitigate the risk, where possible.
• The Committee were assured that LFR were subject to internal monitoring as well as being inspected by HMICFRS annually. 
• LFR participated in a number of desktop exercises including service wide exercises such as the recent 'Silver Siren' exercises which involved the Royal Air Force, National Search and Rescue, East Midlands Ambulance Service and other local authorities. The media and local residents were notified about any desktop exercises in their area.
• Members were encouraged to respond to invitations to visit their local fire station which was a valuable experience.
• LFR regularly monitored the diversity of their workforce to maintain a gender balance be ethnically diverse. The Committee acknowledged that despite on-going efforts, there were still difficulties in recruiting women and minority groups into their non-operational roles and work.
• Members thanked LFR for their efforts to keep the County safe.
• The Committee recognised that the potential difficulties faced by some people trying to fit smoke alarms themselves. The Assistant Chief Fire Officer recommended the use of wired in fire alarms which had a battery life of up to 20 years and avoided the use of changing batteries regularly. An effective way of fitting fire alarms was an approach of using sticky pads to stick to the ceiling.
• The Executive Councillor for Fire & Rescue and Cultural Services had attended the Boston Stamp exercise and had observed that the community engagement and goodwill generated which was invaluable.
• As a result of the Grenfell Fire tragedy, all Fire and Rescue Services now were consulted at the first stage of planning for building control applications, where they which allowed for LFR to have a greater input into the materials buildings were made of.
• The Council had 19 high rise buildings, of which 1 building still had existing cladding materials similar to those that were used on the building on the Grenfell tower. LFR were working with the building owners and residents to remove and remediate any risk to the building, including working on evacuation plans and ensuring fire alarm systems were upgraded.
• LFR had produced an internal report which addressed the recommendations that arose as a result of the Grenfell Tower report and put in place an action plan to avoid similar risks in Lincolnshire.
• Safe and well visits were now person centred and LFR worked alongside partners in other care services to ensure people were signposted and engaged with on other issues such as financial scams or hoarding, where necessary.
• THRIVE was LFR's behavioural framework which stood for trust, help, respect, inclusive, value and empower.
• Assurance was provided that improvements been made to processes to reduce the risk of incidents where fire engines were unable to be deployed in a timely manner to due roller shutter doors not being fully open.
• Members welcomed cross-border working.
• The National Fire Chief's council had a number of programmes in place to alleviate the risk of miscommunication between emergency services such as that which happened during the Manchester Arena Bombing. All Fire and Rescue Services were working to the same criteria standards on this issue.
• Plans were underway for the provision of a new fire station in Leverton.

RESOLVED:

              That the report be endorsed and any comments made be taken under consideration.