Agenda item

To consider item 18

The Group Commander Head of Operational Training advised Members that an initial Summer Pressures report was presented to Members on 12 October 2022, which informed on the pressures experienced by the Service between the months of July and August 2022, which brought record high temperatures and dry weather and presented many challenges for fire and rescue services and other emergency responders across the country. The purpose of this report was to provide a further update on the assurance, debriefing and review of activities carried out in relation to summer pressures and to highlight areas for consideration which had been derived from a Service wide Extreme/Adverse Weather Survey. This survey was aimed at capturing the views and thoughts of all staff groups that were involved during those periods of extreme weather under nine specifically chosen headlines. 65 staff responded to the survey. The table containing the themes was complete with examples of areas to consider. The progress column highlighted the ongoing work streams which would ensure the recommendations were delivered.

In conclusion, staff were able to service the needs of the summer pressure incidents whilst maintaining operational fire cover. Some of the areas to consider could be addressed relatively rapidly and simply, however, most themes and areas highlighted would require further work, thought and financial support over a longer period. Action owners had been assigned to each area at the appropriate level and time scales discussed, resulting in regular updates through the Operational Assurance Group (OAG). Updates would be captured through the Operational Assurance Improvement Plan (OAIP).

A Member had attended one of the incidents in Milton Keynes and asked if the local authority worked well together with the fire service.

The Group Commander Head of Operational Training advised Members that one of the recommendations within the report was how communication both internal and external was brought back into the Service and through the Thames Valley Local Resilience Forum (TVLRF). The Service now had a representative that sat on the group.

A Members asked if officers had knowledge of where water courses were in rural areas and also if the Service had the right equipment to deal with wildfires in rural areas.

The Group Commander Head of Operational Training advised Members that staff were trained to go out and site specific risk assess areas regarding access of water courses as it could be difficult in a real situation to find water. Through work being undertaken in the Thames Valley, the Wildfire Tactical Advisor, had been given the task of highlighting where the risks were for wildfires. Staff were very highly trained with the equipment that was on the appliances to deal with any situation. New 4x4 equipment had been purchased to repurpose two 4x4 vehicles to get water and staff to areas where water may be a problem.

A Member asked if there was a mapping system of where water was.

The Head of Prevention, Response and Resilience advised that the data terminals had hydrant mapping on them, although it does become challenging in some areas, but the mapping would also show access to open water supplies. When at incidents, crews do rely on some local knowledge. The site specific risk information had been developed over recent years to include wildland areas as a risk.

The Chief Fire Officer advised Members that the Service had also engaged with the National Farmers Union and from feedback had now included adapters that allowed crews to access water supplies that were currently on farms and had also engaged on a prevention basis with farmers to limit and reduce the spread of wildfires.

The Chairman advised that following the summer incidents last year, Members were really clear they wanted the Service to ensure it was equipped and able to cope with any future events. Looking at this report, there were a number of actions outstanding where officers were going through growth bid submission, or it was part of a broader review. Could officers give Members assurance that processes would not hold up firefighters being equipped to cope with summer incidents this year. How well equipped and how ready was the Service to deal with a repeat of events or indeed worse events than happened last year.

The Group Commander Head of Operational Training advised Members that since the inception of this table, things had moved on. The growth bid process came to a conclusion two weeks again a lot of work had been in progress since then.

The Chief Fire Officer advised Members that work had been ongoing and was progressing well. Also, the Service was employing more staff, going from 268 to nearly 300 operational staff would make a difference this year. The Service coped last year and was now in a better position than it was last year.

RESOLVED –

That the content and recommendations detailed within this report were noted.