Agenda item

4.4    LSO A Perry presented information on the restructure and budget implications within the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.  He advised that he was being moved to a different post and arrangements for his replacement were ongoing.   He referred to service improvements because of closer working with emergency services.  The LSO Chief Officer’s fund was  being used to provide low level adaptations to prevent slips, trips and falls in the home and a programme of work was being supported with additional monies from SBC Cheviot Quality of Life funding.   Although not directly benefiting the service itself it would improve community safety.   In referring to the out of hospital cardiac arrest pilot he advised that fire officers in Hawick had successfully intervened and saved a person’s life.   ITV Borders were currently liaising with the Fire and Rescue Service in regard to a 23 minute slot which would encompass a standard day in a firefighter’s life focussing on partnership working and contributions made relating to safety in the community.   During the discussions which took place LSO Perry answered a number of questions relating to recruitment of fire officers who were now trained at a new centre at Cambuslang and of the progress in migrating the three control centres in Scotland to Tolcross, Edinburgh.   Group Manager A. Girrity explained that the high volume pump would no longer be in the area and that Hawick staff were undergoing training regarding water rescue techniques.      A request was made for information relating to ‘falls week’ and other initiatives in 2016 and a calendar of events would be issued to Members for their information.

4.5    There had been circulated copies of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Performance Report covering the period 1 April to 31 December 2015.  In summarising the report, Group Manager A. Girrity advised that with regard to Priority 1: Reduction of Dwelling Fires, the SFRS had attended 82 dwelling fires in comparison to 60 for the same Year to Date (YTD) reporting period last year, this represented a 35% increase.   Six of these fires had been started deliberately although none in the last quarter.  Cooking and cooking appliances continued to be the most common cause of dwelling fires with the majority occurring in single occupancy dwellings, 25% of accidental dwelling fires involved persons over 65 years old.    Priority 2: Reduction in Fire Fatalities and Casualties, the report noted that there had been 15 fire related casualties in this reporting period, this was an increase of six compared to the same period last year.   The YTD period had seen one fire fatality, there had been six non-fatal fire casualties this quarter all suffering from slight smoke inhalation with one requiring  hospitalisation.   There had been no fire fatalities this quarter.    Priority 3: Reduction of Deliberate Fire Setting indicated that there had been 89 deliberate fires in this YTD reporting period, an increase of 12 in comparison to the same reporting period last year.   Conversely, comparison with the previous quarter had seen this type of activity reduce almost 60%.   As noted in previous reports, the ward areas of Galashiels and District and Tweeddale showed significant increases in the first two quarters.   Wood, scrubland, refuse and straw bales accounted for the majority of these incidents.   The decrease in the last quarter was consistent with the months of autumn and winter.         Priority 4: Reduction in Road Traffic Collisions (RTCs) indicated that the SFRS attended 79 RTCs, this was an increase of one compared to the same period last year.   Over a third of these RTCs occurred in the last quarter.   There had been 43 RTC related casualties in this YTD period with five of these being fatalities.   The most recent fatality involved an adult male on the A7 south of Hawick in December.   The Service used Hydraulic Rescue Equipment on 31 occasions during this YTD to extricate casualties.   Priority 5 related to the Reduction of Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals and it was noted that there had been 617 Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals during this quarter, representing a decrease of 73 incidents compared to the same period last year.

4.6    Group Manager A. Girrity referred to other notable prevention activities.   The Living Safely in the Home Working Group covered  holistic home safety, slips trips and falls, with a focus on people aged 65+ and had the aim of reducing  Accident and Emergency admissions.  A pilot in respect of this was being held in the Cheviot Area.    He gave background information about the Polmont Young Offenders Reintegration initiative led by the SFRS which was aimed at preparing individuals for reintegration into the community; and the completion of this course would result in an accredited award.   S. Smith referred to work taking place with homework clubs and of the setting up of a buddy system for school children.  In regard to the CPR/Defibrillator training in partnership with British Heart Foundation, he explained that all fire stations in the Borders had been supplied with a set of manikins and self-teaching DVDs.   Training on CPR was open to communities and would be facilitated by SFRS staff within local fire stations.   Information in respect of the training programme would be advertised locally.    Group Manager Girrity concluded his presentation by giving information on the involvement of SFRS activities in relation to flooding during Storms Desmond and Frank.  

         DECISION

         (a)     NOTED the report.

         (b)    AGREED that Group Manager Girrity circulate the seasonal Community Safety Calendar 2016 to Members for their information.

ADJOURNMENT

         The meeting adjourned at 11.15 a.m. and reconvened at 11.25 a.m.