Scottish Borders Council

Agenda item

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Update on Service and Operational Matters.

 

Performance Report.  (Report and 2 appendices  attached).

 

National Consultation on Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals.

 

LSO Stephen Gourlay.

 

 

Minutes:

4.            Progress Reports/Update on Service Matters - Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

4.1       With reference to paragraph 4 of the Minute of 14 May 2021, Local Senior Officer Gourlay introduced the SFRS Local Performance Plan for the period 1 April 2021 to 30 June 2021, copies of which had been circulated with the agenda.   The LSO advised that it had been a challenging period but locally they were looking forward to blended working arrangements for partnerships and training. Nationally, the Scottish Government were committed to supporting the modernisation of the SFRS, central to this was broadening the role of firefighters in Scotland.   There would also be a consultation around the management of Unwanted Fire Alarm signals.   LSO Gourlay further advised that local fire stations were being used to deliver asymptomatic testing, as part of a partnership approach, which had received a positive community response.  

             

4.2       Local Senior Officer Gourlay then went on to highlight the main points from the performance report, explaining that dwelling fires, all fire casualties, deliberate fires had all decreased.  Road traffic collisions and special service casualties had increased slightly on the same period last year and unwanted Fire Alarm Signals had also increased.  He explained that the SFRS had attended 365 incidents during the reporting period, and  false alarms had accounted for 62% of emergency calls.   There had been no major incidents in the year to date.   With regard to Prevention and Protection activities, an update had been circulated with the agenda.   Although performance activity had been severely curtailed because of restrictions, the SFRS had recommended high risk home safety visits and would start visiting businesses and schools when it was appropriate to do so.  Regarding the trends relating to all deliberate fire and UFAS with a peak in quarter 1 explained that deliberate fires increased during the lighter nights, drier weather and Easter holidays and they had an appropriate tactical action plan in place. The decrease in UFAS was probably due to schools returning, with primary schools and nurseries being one of the largest offenders.   In terms of reducing unwanted Fire Alarm Signals, SFRS were consulting on options in relation to operational response to Automatic Fire Alarms between 19 July and 11 October 2021 https://firescotland.citizenspace.com/sfrs-communications/time-for-change-reducing-ufas/

             

LSO Gourlay then referred to the updated 2021 SFRS Local Fire and Rescue Plan, copies of which had been circulated with the agenda.  He explained that the priorities remained the same with the focus on delivering in partnership.     In response to questions regarding flood rescue he discussed the resource for swift water rescue in the Scottish Borders and opportunities to upskill stations for flood level response based on past incidents.   He would arrange a demonstration later this year when restrictions allowed.  With regard to cross border support he advised that cooperation happened but the percentage was small.

 

It was reported that due to the Coronavirus pandemic the Youth Engagement Work had not been delivered although contact with many partner groups had been maintained, providing advice via social media and delivering thematic information such as Spring/Summer safety and deliberate fire-setting. Other examples of work carried out in this period were; the Community Action Team (CAT) had worked with High Schools to engage with identified fire starters;  The Local Authority Liaison Officer (LALO) continued to work with 60 Primary schools and 9 secondary within the Scottish Borders Area and the CAT team had delivered “Street Feet” Road Safety sessions to primary schools.   Close collaboration with partner organisations across the public and third sector continued to generate our HFSV referrals. Local crews within the Scottish Borders continued to proactively deliver the Adult/Child protection policy and procedure and had generated 6 referrals (AP1) during the period. The Local Authority Liaison Officer (LALO) continued to participate or provide information relevant to fire for the monthly Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) and successful actions from these meetings had been delivered.

 

DECISION

            NOTED the report.

 

Supporting documents:

 

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