This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Report proposes fewer fire control rooms
08/07/2004
A review of Scotland's fire service control rooms and
recommendations for their rationalisation has been
published today by the Executive.
The report recommends that the number of fire control
rooms should be rationalised from eight to one, two or
three.
The report stresses that one control room could
comfortably handle the present level of incidents in
Scotland.
Ministers will now consult on the report's
recommendations but are stressing that their final decision
will reflect the importance of improving the effectiveness
of the service and improving public safety as well as value
for money.
The report by Mott MacDonald Consultants shows that in
2001-02, Scotland's eight existing control rooms handled
nearly 122,000 incidents.
Around half of these took place in Strathclyde and were
handled by one control room, while the smallest number of
incidents - just over 2,000 - were handled by the Dumfries
and Galloway control room.
This compares to the Scottish Ambulance Service which in
2002-03 dealt with 300,000 emergency calls through five
control rooms - now rationalised to three.
It also points out that all of Scotland's police forces
- who handle millions of calls each year - are reducing
their control rooms. For example Strathclyde is currently
implementing a decrease from nine to three.
The report also points out that fewer but bigger control
rooms would:
- Provide staff with greater experience of handling a
broader range of incidents and offer better development
and progression opportunities
- Make mobilisation of fire service resources for a
major incident easier;
- Enable common process and procedures for
call-taking, dispatching and associated duties;
- Have up-to-date communication and information
systems.
Deputy Justice Minister Hugh Henry said:
"I welcome the publication of this very thorough and
comprehensive report into the way the Scottish fire service
handles its calls.
"The Executive recognises the contribution this report
makes to the debate on improvement and modernisation of the
fire service in Scotland. The report has now been issued to
key stakeholders in the fire service for consultation and I
look forward to receiving their responses during the next
few weeks.
"The report is clear that moving from the present
structure to one major control room would deliver the most
significant savings in terms of cost. Value for money is
clearly an important factor in our consideration but I want
to stress that it will not be the only one. We also want a
more effective service with improved public safety at its
heart. All of these factors will be taken into account
before any final decisions are taken."
The deadline for responses to the consultation is August
31.