Scottish Borders Council

Agenda item

Progress Reports/Update on Service Matters - Scottish Fire & Rescue Service

 

Update on Service and Operational Matters.

 

Review of Scottish Borders Community Local Fire and Rescue Plan (copy attached).

 

Performance Reports (copies attached).

 

 

LSO Stephen Gourlay.

Minutes:

With reference to paragraph 6 of the Minute of 7 February 2020, Local Senior Officer Gourlay advised that the report on Peebles High School Fire had been concluded.   The visit to Newbridge had been delayed because of Covid-19 restrictions.  With regard to the pay offer, this had been rejected.  The offer was now part of the National Joint Council negotiation and would be subject to a national ballot.

 

5.2       Local Senior Officer Gourlay went on to advise that Prevention and Protection activities with high risk individuals, had resumed with appropriate PPE.  With regard to Rural Watch Commanders (RWC), appointments had been made for West Linton and Duns clusters, an appointment for the Hawick area was progressing.   He explained that the RWC duties were dependent on the requirements of their local area e.g. swift water rescues skills, but they would also assist with recruitment, staffing and intelligence.   In response to a question regarding Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals (UFAS) he advised that during lockdown, there had been a downturn in the numbers received from relevant premises, with 9% of UFAS calls received during Q1 involving education premises.  Work continued with partner organisations on managing UFAS.    LSO Gourlay then went on to discuss the Local Community Fire and Rescue Plan Review 2020, copies of which had been circulated with the agenda, explaining that local priorities would form the basis of the next local plan and were:  making people safe in the home; promoting community resilience in terms of non-fire emergencies; making roads safer; challenging anti-social behaviour; and reducing UFAS.

 

5.3       Group Commander (GC) Jaffray then presented the SFRS Local Plan Performance reports for Q4 (1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020) and Q1 (1 April to 30 June 2020), copies of which had been circulated with the agenda.  With regard to Q4 he summarised: there had been an increase in fire casualties and a slight increase in road traffic collisions.   There had been a decrease in special service casualties and UFAS (equipment failure still being the main cause). 

 

5.4       GC Jaffray then summarised Q1 explaining there had been an increase in dwelling fires, fire casualties and deliberate fires.  However, significant decreases in RTCs, special service casualties and UFAS.     During Q1 the Fire Services had attended 327 incidents, 41 less than last year.   There had been no major incidents, although a slight increase of one from previous year for dwelling fires, with cooking the main cause. 

 

5.5       Prevention and Protection activities

GC Jaffray then went on to discuss the SFRS Prevention and Protection activities, which had been impacted with many workplaces closed.  The auditing program would shortly commence and would prioritise high risk premises such as care homes.   Delivery of the Home Fire safety programme had also been impacted, but was still provided when high risk individuals were identified from partners and referrals were welcomed. To conclude, GC Gourlay explained that new working practices were being introduced to restart community engagement and maintain contact with partners.  It was hoped over the next few months the SFRS would be able to return to their normal engagement with the community.

 

            DECISION

(a)                                                                                             NOTED the reports.

(b)                                                                                             AGREED progression of the draft Local Plan.

 

MEMBER

Mrs Simpson left the meeting during consideration of the above report.

 

Supporting documents:

 

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