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REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL INSPECTION OF STRATHCLYDE FIRE BRIGADE 2003

FIRE SAFETY

Prevention of fires requires a fully integrated programme of positive actions based upon realistic targets. Changes to enforcement regimes and the introduction of wide community safety objectives provide the foundations. Fire investigations and call reduction require similar positive action

Overview

140. The production of the Firemaster's First Impressions and Beyond First Impressions documents, which lay out the policies, aims and methodology of the Brigade's planning and service delivery, are to be commended as a most useful way to communicate with the community at large. Unfortunately a combination of a shortfall in the number of experienced Inspecting Officers and increased workloads has led to a consequential lowering of morale and a fall in standards that requires action in the short term. The following areas are highlighted:

• There is a serious concern that, given the current development of the IPDS system, sufficient specialist officers are not available to the Brigade.
• The new pro-active Brigade Community Safety policies are to be commended.
• The Brigade needs to assess the effect of a statutory duty on Local Authorities to participate in the Community Planning Process so that it is seen as a Community Safety Partner.
• The Brigade may wish to address its present geographical structure given the existing Command boundaries are neither co-terminus with those of the 12 Local Authorities nor Strathclyde Police Force.
• The Joint Fire Investigation Protocol is seen as an example of 'Best Practice'.
• Despite specialist staff difficulties the Brigade continues to produce a creditable level of service delivery in the three core departmental disciplines enforcement of community safety and fire investigation.

Fire Safety Management, Planning, Policies, Strategy, Performance Monitoring and Quality Control

Planning and Policies

141. The production of the Firemaster's First Impressions and Beyond First Impressions documents which lay out the policies, aims and methodology of the Brigade's service delivery and planning are to be commended as a most useful way to communicate with the community at large.

142. These plans and policies aim to reduce the incidence of fires, deaths and fatalities but they cannot be fully evaluated until the information technology (IT) has been fully developed within the Brigade. This requirement, for an IT management system that integrates into the Brigade planning and management process to monitor and so help improve performance, has been mentioned previously in this report. It is noted that the extent of planning within the Brigade has resulted in each Command having individual Community Fire Safety Service plans that are directed at local, geographical and political variances.

143. Flowing from the Brigade's main priorities, evidence is available to show that there are clear policies and planning embedded within the Director's strategic three-year plan which was introduced May 2001 and re-assessed in June 2002.

144. This strategy encompasses the three main elements of:

• A Community Partnership Process.
• An Integrated Planning Process.
• The Community Safety (Delivery) Process.

Strategy

145. To ensure that Brigade personnel understand the aims and objectives of the planning and strategy, a training seminar and local Community Fire Safety (CFS) Strategy Group meetings have been held in addition to contributing toward the Scottish CFS Strategy Forum and the national fire safety 'Toolkit' project.

146. To fully realise the objectives of the CFS strategic planning, a process mapping exercise was investigated through the Brigade Community Safety Strategy Group. This has subsequently been postponed to allow further costing and tendering in accordance with financial regulations.

147. The Brigade has an established set of policies to meet its statutory responsibilities, prioritise inspections, determine the frequency of re-inspections and standards based on the risk assessment of fire occurring. These are set out in a suite of detailed Fire Safety Legislation Procedural Guidance Notes and minutes of regular meetings.

148. The Brigade approach to the promotion of the core community safety training does not have written arrangements or systems in place and the training arrangements are mainly ad hoc.

149. There are arrangements for co-ordinated inspections with other agencies such as Building Control to avoid the duplication of inspections, although duplication does occur on limited occasions.

Staff Performance and Monitoring

150. Since the last Monitoring Inspection, it was advised that a draft report has been produced for the Director of Community Safety on the minimum number of inspecting officers required within each Command to effectively discharge the fire safety statutory responsibilities of the Joint Fire Board.

151. The draft report was stated as being uncompromising and detailed. It apparently scrutinises the issues surrounding the perceived decline in the number and efficiency of the inspections actually being carried compared to former performance levels and cites staffing skills as of concern in this discipline.

152. There is an acknowledged shortfall in the number of experienced Inspecting Officers and combined with increased workloads the view was expressed that this has led to a consequential lowering of morale and a fall in standards. At the time of the inspection the facts surrounding this matter could not be fully verified but clearly if the views offered have credibility then this is an important matter that must be addressed in the short term.

153. There is, for example, demonstrable evidence that the average time of approximately 2 years to issue or amend a fire certificate within the Brigade, is now almost 3 years in East Command and almost 4 years in Central Command. The average time taken for amendments of a fire certificate relates only to known and recorded amendments as it is thought anecdotally that some 75% of existing certificates may require updating.

154. In their Annual Statistical Return to HM Fire Service Inspectorate for Scotland, covering fiscal year 2002/2003 the Brigade record a total of 16 fully qualified Inspecting officers of Station Officer rank from a total establishment of 26 (25 actual) with a further 4 having completed the Fire Safety Inspecting Officer modules.

155. The majority of the 30 Sub Officer-ranked officers who complete Brigade inspection staff training are not eligible for the central training modules at the Fire Service College (FSC). This is due to the large number of temporary ranks and the course pre-requisite that all students must be qualified by statutory examination to Station Officer rank, a rank which only 5 of those serving in Community Safety currently hold.

156. It is also noted that the staffing of fire safety has been somewhat affected by the Brigade's interpretation and implementation of the Integrated Personal Development System (IPDS) developed by the FSC. This has had the effect that fire safety competencies are not being satisfactorily assessed prior to promotion.

157. The principle of IPDS, as a national benchmark, is to provide role-based training and development for competent officers to meet the real needs of brigades but it is clear that at the time of inspection the IPDS system was not producing role specific specialist officers of sufficient numbers for the Brigade.

Review of the Brigade Safety Strategy and Plan

158. Making communities safer is a strategy aimed at reducing the number of:

• fatalities;
• non-fatal casualties;
• accidental dwelling fires;
• unwanted fire calls; and
• fires due to wilful or deliberate fire raising.

159. A three-year review of the Brigade Safety Strategy and Plan covering the fiscal period 1999/2000 to 2002/2003 has revealed that the Brigade has sustained a reduction of non-fatal casualties, accidental dwelling fires, unwanted fire signals and malicious fire calls.

160. In relation to fire fatalities the Brigade has reduced this figure to a very low level compared to previous years and now face the difficulty of reducing the hard core of fire deaths that continue occur despite very the best efforts of the Brigade. These deaths should be among the new targets of the Community Partnerships formed as a result of the Local Government Scotland Act 2003.

161. However, the Brigade has a very real problem in relation to the number of secondary fires caused by wilful or deliberate fire raising. The total figure for these incidents was reported as being 19,496 at the time of the inspection. This requires special attention and new IT software, sharing of information and partnerships within the community will help the Brigade in the future to reduce the demand on vital emergency resources.

Community Safety

The Scottish Fire Service of the Future

162. The Scottish Executive's policy paper The Scottish Fire Service of the Future indicates the introduction of a new legislative framework for fire authorities and a flexible framework for fire brigades.

163. Similarly, Scottish Fire Service Circular Number 4/2003 reinforces the intention of Scottish Ministers to introduce Integrated Risk Management Planning (IRMP) throughout Scotland and the fundamental change of emphasis from intervention to community safety.

164. The Brigade is committed to the process and have made a major contribution to as founder members of the UK study into the review of Fire Service Emergency Cover (Pathfinder Project). There is considerable progress in risk assessment within the Brigade area.

The Local Government Scotland Act 2003

165. Although Strathclyde Fire Brigade, fully supported by the Fire Board, are signatories to the national strategy of Making Communities Safer, the enactment of The Local Government Scotland Act 2003 deems that it is now a necessity for the Brigade to assess the effect of a statutory duty on Local Authorities to participate in the Community Planning Process.

166. The assessment should take into account, amongst other things, the issues facing the Brigade in attempting to co-ordinate and present a common approach on 'Fire' issues at Joint Board level under the new legislation throughout the Brigade area. Future collaboration between the 12 separate Local Authorities, all having their own community safety plans, policies and methods of delivery, would greatly assist in preventing cross cutting strategic community safety planning and would also benefit the Brigade in the cohesive delivery of community safety fire issues.

167. Given the significant contribution that the Brigade makes towards Community Safety and the need to access funding for future developments to promote Community Safety, it is imperative that the Brigade are involved as full partners. For example, it is anticipated that the powers of Well-Being may have a direct effect on the Brigade in terms of service delivery and the potential re-location of resources.

Corporate Approach

168. In the short to mid-term and as a further step towards the sound corporate management of the Community Planning Process and service delivery the Brigade may wish to address its present geographical structure given the existing Command boundaries that are neither co-terminus with those of the 12 Local Authorities nor Strathclyde Police Service.

Community Safety New Policies and Projects

169. In recent years commendable emphasis has been placed upon youth development in the Brigade area with the Brigade supported by the Fire Board and working with other services and agencies. As a result a long term commitment to community involvement and partnership working has been demonstrated.

Vulnerable Persons Policy and Operational Procedure

170. It is pleasing to observe that in January 2003 the Brigade adopted a Vulnerable Persons Policy and Operational Procedure which is pro-active in identifying those persons most at risk from fire and is aimed at reducing or minimising the immediate risk. Operational personnel can take immediate positive action by fitting smoke alarms in domestic premises and thereafter alert agencies or services responsible for ensuring the ongoing health, safety and welfare of such persons.

Station Community Safety Plans

171. Evidence of a draft Community Safety Guidance Note on Station Community Safety Plans was supplied during the inspection. Following its review it was noted that it will undoubtedly accelerate the progression of Community Safety throughout the Brigade. This again demonstrates the cornerstone of the Brigade's Community Safety strategy through the involvement of front line operational personnel in service delivery.

Juvenile Fire-Setters

172. A further draft document reviewed and found to represent good practice was the policy of the Brigade in relation to Juvenile Fire-Setters. The policy is intended to complement the Brigade policy on Protection of Children and Young People _ A Summary of Good Practice and outlines the guidelines to be adopted by personnel when they are dealing with identified juvenile fire-setters.

Community Wardens

173. The Brigade has been pro-active in supporting the training and development of neighbourhood community warden schemes.

Fire Cadet Scheme

174. The management team identified that the Brigade could provide considerable support and benefit to communities through the creation of partnerships between young people and Brigade personnel. The Fire Cadet Scheme, supported by CACFOA, is also affiliated to the Fire Services Youth Training Association that is a registered charity whose role is to promote Youth Training nationally and to identify and encourage examples of good practice.

175. Although some successful Cadet Units are operational, through the commitment of the Joint Fire Board and dedication of voluntary cadet leaders, there are several key issues being highlighted by these leaders that may affect the development of additional Units that require ongoing management attention and support.

Fire House Project

176. The 'Fire House' Project is an interactive experiential learning initiative for visitors to Glasgow's Museum of Transport that receives in excess of 500,000 visitors each year. Glasgow City Council has provided the use of the premises and has invested a further 15,000 towards the facility.

177. A 'safe house' has been constructed within the Museum building to physically display both good and bad home safety practices with expert advice being offered by trained staff. In addition, there is an opportunity for visitors to experience what it is like to escape from a smoke filled room under supervision.

178. These new and pro-active Brigade Community Safety policies are to be commended.

Databases

179. Databases such as The Community Safety 'Wizard', Legislative Returns and the Fatalities Database are recognised as important developments within the Brigade.

180. The software 'wizards' were piloted in stations within each Command in January 2003 and, following a Headquarters demonstration, are seen to be capable of delivering essential and credible information to the interrogator who may be attending a local safety meeting.

181. The Directorate's database is now capable of producing the required legislative returns for HM Fire Service Inspectorate purposes, although it is noted that a bid for capital funds for a replacement system may have to be considered. There is also a stand alone IT system available to fire safety officers to update plans of small amendments to existing fire certificates which is proving worthwhile in alleviating the burden of outstanding certificate drawings awaiting completion by brigade Computer Aided Drawing (CAD) operators.

182. It is interesting to note that there is an existing intranet fire safety library and information system installed throughout the fire safety offices within the Brigade but due to technical reasons Central Command's Community Fire Safety Headquarters cannot be connected.

183. The possibility of the single point updating of work in hand, guidance and technical notes and improved access to Fire Safety and Health and Safety Information Systems through other departmental links is encouraged as is the future link to provide information to the Police, Local Authorities and Schools to assist with community safety planning and programmes.

Info-Engine

184. The Brigade 'Community Safety Info-Engine' developed in-house by an enterprising community firefighter in Ayrshire, is an interactive fire safety programme aimed at three levels, nursery and early primary school children, primary level and finally at secondary school pupils and adults. This is an excellent innovation well thought out and well received within the teaching profession.

Command Initiatives and Plans

185. Each of the 4 Commands within the Brigade have updated plans to tackle community fire safety issues and present a large number of local initiatives involving other agencies. These initiatives are wide ranging in their cause and effect on the local communities depending on the perceived risk and include presentations and events such as:

• 'Crucial Crew' events.
• Training junior home fire safety wardens in schools.
• Smoke alarm campaigns.
• 'Learning for Life' experiential event.
• Junior Achievement Award
• 'Clued Up Kids' experiential event.
• 'Minder' Project, Multi-Agency Intervention scheme.
• 'Fire Safe' schools project.
• Juvenile fire-setters.
• Fun-days, Gala Days and Station Open Days.

186. Allied to these events the Brigade have run a 'Demand Reduction' pilot project in an attempt to further reduce unwanted fire signals, deliberate secondary fires and have ongoing collaboration with Strathclyde Police to reduce hoax calls.

Fire Investigation

Management and Policy

187. The Fire Investigation Section (FIS) is a competent well run section of the Brigade that has matured since its inception in April 2001 to be at the forefront of providing a fire investigation service in Scotland.

188. FIS is essentially an information gathering, interpreting and reporting system and provides a constant 24 hour fire investigation service managed by senior officers working in three flexible groups based at Headquarters who can adjust the speed and number of fire investigators required to attend specific incidents.

189. FIS comprises eight Fire Investigation Officers (four Station Officers and four Sub Officers) who carry out and document the bulk of the investigative work and are based at Brigade HQ. These groups operate in four teams of two designed to complement the operational duty system. They also have additional personnel available to assist.

190. In addressing the Best Value issues of mobilising a fire investigation resource to serve the offshore and geographically remote communities there are 10 out-posted and qualified officers operating at Command level who can be deployed as a first response. To this end Commands have been issued with Fire Investigation Tool Kits and Personal Protection Equipment and have instructions to site them strategically within their Commands.

191. The managers of the section have been successful in attracting suitably qualified and motivated personnel and provide additional formal training within their allocated budget. Such is the interest that the section have a pool of pre-qualified and transferable officers at command level who can be called upon at relatively short notice.

192. The formal training is a mixture of the Fire Service College Fire Investigation course and recognised external companies specialising in fire investigation techniques. One of the section's officers is involved with a competency evaluation of a practical course offered by one such company.

Fire Investigation Protocol

193. A Fire Investigation Protocol has been drawn up in accordance with national guidelines between Strathclyde Police and the Brigade to deliver the most effective and appropriate level of response in the investigation of all serious and criminal fires. The protocol document is a suite of measures designed to reduce fire fatalities and the overall number of fires with a subsequent increase in detection of those responsible for criminal fires and effective preventative strategies for the control and reduction of fire related crime. The Joint Fire Investigation Protocol is seen as an example of 'Best Practice'.

Operational and Technical Procedure Note

194. As with all policy and protocols there must be a robust and detailed set of guidance for all personnel involved and a draft copy of the Fire Investigation Operational and Technical Note was provided at the time of the inspection.

195. The Policy and Note both serve to show that there is a solid link between fire investigation, community safety and risk assessment issues. Stemming from these it is also appreciated that the experimental audit form provides the missing link that demonstrates Best Value within the section. If required, a summary fire investigation report can now be generated on-site at an incident.

196. The Operational and Technical Note is considered to have been well developed and serves to assist all personnel by detailing how the fire service implement their side of the protocol. It also provides for the first time written information on the gathering and recording of personal information for storage in electronic format regulated by the Data Protection Act 1998 and the release of incident information during any interface with the media.

197. Taking this guidance into account the Brigade may wish to re-consider to whom fire report extracts should be released in the future.

Fire Fatality Database

198. Details of fire fatality reports have been electronically stored within the Brigade from April 2002 to inform national statistical analysis, Fire Board 'Safer Communities' objectives and to provide a documented record of the Brigade's attendance and activity.

199. The very important and painstaking work carried out within the Brigade on the development of the Fire Fatalities Database since 2001 is to be commended and is the intention for this system to be rolled out to other Scottish fire brigades to provide a commonality of approach and information gathering of fire fatalities in Scotland. Information is promulgated internally to nominated Brigade personnel who can access the information but are unable to edit or overwrite the data that is controlled by the fire investigation teams.

200. It was assessed that the Brigade has good information on both fire investigation and fatality reporting that assists the Community Safety Directorate to identify trends and issues at local and Brigade level and also to provide evidence that can be used to amend national guidance such as building standards and consumer protection.

Performance Analysis of the Directorate of Community Safety

201. Given the future national legislative scene the Brigade has demonstrated within the reporting period that they have a clear core policy on Community Safety which is well managed within the constraints of finance, personnel and the steady development of information technology matters.

202. It is seen that the Brigade continues to produce a more than creditable level of service delivery across the three core departmental disciplines of fire safety legislation enforcement, community safety and fire investigation, despite difficulties in staffing the section with qualified specialist officers.

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