Agenda item

Performance Report (copy attached)

Update on Service Matters

LSO David Farries. 

6.1     Fire and Rescue Service

          LSO David Farries referred to the strength of local partnership working between the SFRS,  Police Scotland and the Council which had resulted in a lot good preventative and early intervention work with local communities.   He referred to the success of the local work of the SFRS in non-traditional areas such as the call outs for cardiac arrests and the use of home visits to help identify the need for wider help for vulnerable people.  He commented on challenges within the SFRS budget and the resulting structural changes being made to the service.  He referred to the single common duty system which came into force in April 2017 for the whole of Scotland. He indicated that communities in the Scottish Borders would see no change, and the new duty system would allow staff to work closely together on a more regular basis.   Members noted the importance of accepting invitations to attend events organised by the SFRS and Police Scotland

6.2    There had been circulated copies of the SFRS Performance Report covering the period 1 April to 30 June 2017.  The main issue in the report was about deliberate fires and the problems appeared to be particularly focused on Galashiels and District.   In summarising the report, Group Manager A. Girrity  advised that with regard to Priority 1: Reduction of Dwelling Fires, the SFRS had attended 18 dwelling fires in comparison to 22 for the same Year to Date (YTD) reporting period last year, this represented a 22% decrease.   Two of these fires had been started deliberately.

6.3    Priority 2: Reduction in Fire Fatalities and Casualties, the report noted that there had been 6 fire related casualties in this YTD reporting period; this was an identical figure for the same period last year.   Further analysis showed that two casualties went to hospital for precautionary checks suffering from slight smoke inhalation or burns.   Four casualties received first aid at the scene and did not require any further treatment.  There were no Fire fatalities during the reporting period.

6.4    Priority 3:  There had been 67 deliberate fires in this YTD reporting period, an increase of 35 in comparison to the same reporting period last year.  A breakdown of these figures showed that 91% of deliberate fires during the YTD period involved grass, woodland or refuse.  Half of these incidents occurred within the Galashiels & District Ward.  Previous experience indicated that there was a direct correlation between the increase of deliberate fire setting, drier weather and longer daylight hours.

6.5    Priority 4: Reduction in Road Traffic Collisions (RTCs) indicated that the SFRS attended 20 RTCs, 11 less than the same reporting period last year; a slight decrease in the previous quarter comparison.   There had been 13 RTC related casualties in this YTD period including one fatality.  During the YTD period, the SFRS used Hydraulic Rescue Equipment on 8 occasions to extricate casualties.   Information was also presented relating to special service casualties.

6.6   Priority 5 related to the Reduction of Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals and it was noted that there had been 213 Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals during this quarter, representing an increase of 21 incidents compared to the same reporting period last year.  

6.7     Group Manager S Gourlay highlighted the SFRS’s performance on fire safety audits, and home safety visits and spoke about the range of partnership working. In discussion the issue of deliberate fires were raised and it considered that this might be discussed at the proposed conference on Anti-Social Behaviour detailed above. It was agreed to see whether a member of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Board could be invited to attend the Committee as well as a representative of the local Scottish Ambulance Service. 

          DECISION

          (a)          NOTED the report.   

          (b)          AGREED to invite a member of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Board, and a representative of the local Scottish Ambulance Service to attend future meetings of the Committee.