Scottish Government

Scottish Fire and Rescue Services Community Fire Safety
Strategy and Objectives
Business Development Plan

Scottish Fire and Rescue Services are committed to improving the development and delivery of Community Safety in Scotland.

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Foreword

Fire and Rescue Services in Scotland make a considerable contribution to the health, safety and welfare of communities across Scotland. However occasionally in the past community fire safety work has been undervalued or gone unnoticed.

As Community Fire Safety Champion on behalf of Scottish Fire and Rescue Services it is my responsibility to raise awareness of national community fire safety objectives and support delivery of CFS within the framework of community safety and community planning.

It is vitally important having asked for and been given a statutory duty for promoting fire safety that we take the opportunity provided to positively contribute towards improving public safety and I feel sure that together we can meet this challenge.

The ability of Scottish Fire and Rescue Service personnel to collectively work toward achieving agreed aims and objectives for the benefit of the community is a much admired organisational strength that we should build upon.

However in order to successfully develop community fire safety within the community planning framework we need - clarity of purpose, a picture of what we want to deliver, a plan and a part for everyone to play.

I therefore commend the following Community Fire Safety strategy and development plan to everyone in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Services as a means of reducing the risk from fire and other emergencies in Scotland and delivering safer communities.

Brian P. Sweeney QFSM MA DipEFEng MIFireE
Community Fire Safety Champion
Jan 2005

Introduction

This guidance sets out the strategy, principles and priorities for developing and delivering Scottish Fire and Rescue Services Community Fire Safety aims and objectives in partnership with the Scottish Executive, Local Authorities and other key stakeholders.

The prime objective of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Services Community Fire Safety (CFS)

Business Plan is to minimise the economic and social impact of fire, reduce risk and improve community safety by: -

• Reducing the number of fires.
• Reducing injury and loss of life from fire and accidents.
• Reducing damage to the built and natural environment.
• Reducing fire related crime and anti-social behaviour.
• Providing value.

The intention is to make sure that through effective planning Scottish Fire and Rescue Services have a well-resourced, coherent and coordinated approach to CFS that although delivered in accordance with local needs and priorities is consistent with national aims and objectives.

The CFS Plan demonstrates that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is proactive and focused on reducing high levels of operational demand and is acting in support of the broader community safety (CS) agenda of improving public safety, social inclusion, crime reduction, community regeneration and resilience.

Purpose

To develop and implement a national strategy for delivery of community fire safety in Scotland within the legislative framework of community safety and community planning.

Principal Objectives

• To co-ordinate Scottish Fire and Rescue Services efforts to reduce death and injury, damage to property and the environment from fire and other emergencies in Scotland.
• To ensure that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Services effectively contribute to the wider community safety and community planning agenda in Scotland.
• Develop and maintain sound business management practices and processes to support delivery of CFS aims and objectives.

Statement of Intent

Scottish Fire and Rescue Services are committed to improving the development and delivery of Community Safety in Scotland.

Community Safety Role and Remit

• To influence the development of appropriate CFS Legislation, Guidance, Performance Measurement and Evaluation in Scotland;
• To co-ordinate key CFS messages and activities in partnership with the Scottish Executive Fire Services Division, HM Fire Service Inspectorate (Scotland), the National CFS Centre and Scottish Fire and Rescue Services;
• To raise the profile of CFS within communities in Scotland;
• To liaise effectively with CoSLA and Scottish Executive on CFS issues in Scotland;
• To develop Scottish Fire and Rescue Services involvement in Community Safety and Community Planning Partnerships;
• To liaise with Police, Education, Health, Social Services and Voluntary Sector on Community Safety issues and develop beneficial coalitions and partnerships;
• To determine and deliver best practice CFS Education Programmes in Scotland;
• To seek business support and sponsorship opportunities for CFS activities;
• To build capacity and structures to effectively deliver the agreed CFS Strategy for Scotland.

For the purposes of preparing and delivering the Community Safety plan and strategy the following assumptions have been made and definitions used.

Community Fire Safety

• Community fire safety activities are aimed at informing, educating and protecting the public and business community.
• It's about challenging and changing public perception of the risk from fire.
• It is based upon the concept of proactive intervention to reduce operational demand.
• Community fire safety action plans, priorities and initiatives should be determined following community consultation and engagement to assess local needs.
• it should be carefully planned, targeted and delivered as part of a coherent strategy.
• It is a core function and part of the Fire and Rescue Services Integrated Risk Management Planning and service delivery system.
• It forms an integral part of the broader corporate community safety and community planning agenda in Scotland.

It is talking to people about the risk from fire, how to prevent fire and what action to take when fire occurs.

Community Safety

• Is the planning, prioritising and delivery of services, education, advice or activity aimed at crime reduction, health improvement, accident and injury prevention.
• Its primary aim is to improve the quality of life for individuals and communities by reducing individual and societal risk.
• It's about making people safer.
• It includes the planning and provision of sustainable social and environmental improvements.
• Recognises risk is not evenly distributed it is higher within disadvantaged communities and vulnerable groups.
• Fire and Rescue Services should contribute towards achievement of non-fire related community safety objectives.

The Fire and Rescue Service contribution involves preventative advice and education on minimising the risk from fire, pro-active inspection and enforcement of fire safety legislation, effective response to fire or other emergencies and investigation of fire.

Community Planning

• Is the corporate planning and prioritising of service provision, aimed at achieving sustainable social and economic improvement.
• It's about engaging effectively with others with the aim of making life better for people.
• It is based on the principles of partnership, collective responsibility, social inclusion and regeneration.
• Fire and Rescue Services in Scotland have a statutory duty to participate.
• It provides a mechanism for community consultation and development, shaping services around the needs of individuals and communities.
• It functions at local, regional and national level.
• Fire and Rescue Services should contribute towards non-fire related community planning objectives.

The Fire and Rescue Services contribution is based upon its core functions and wider community safety role of making communities safer by minimising the risk from fire and other non-fire hazards or emergencies.

Partnership working should encourage a joined up approach towards

• Fire and accident prevention.
• Effective response to fire and non-fire accidents and emergencies.
• Civil contingency planning.
• Enforcing fire safety legislation.
• Investigation of fire.
• Providing Best Value.

Working in partnership means sharing skills, experience, knowledge and resources then accepting responsibility for the outcome.

Key Community Safety Priorities

• Act to support the wider agenda of public safety, regeneration, social inclusion and crime reduction.
• Increase community engagement and the participation of Operational Personnel in CS delivery activities.
• Effectively contribute to Community Safety Partnerships and Community Planning.
• Support the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service focus on preventing fire and non-fire accidents and emergencies.
• Encourage involvement in youth development and community education work.
• Improve public access to quality Fire Safety advice and information.
• Highlight CS activities and share best practice.
• Co-operate and collaborate with services, agencies and organisations having a professional interest in Community Safety.
• Seek Community Safety sponsorship, marketing, advertising and promotional opportunities.
• Improve Scottish Fire and Rescue Services access to funding sources.
• Develop meaningful performance evaluation and measurement criterion.
• Involve the business community.
• Gain commitment from representative bodies.
• Highlight CS success and achievement.

The Scottish Executive is committed to supporting a Fire and Rescue Service that: -

• Contributes to building safer communities by responding effectively to fire and other emergencies.
• Works in collaboration and partnership to deliver effective fire safety education and advice so that people understand the risk from fire; how to prevent fire and what action to take when fire occurs.
• Acts to support the wider agenda of public safety, social inclusion, regeneration and crime reduction.
• Engages fully in the process of Community Planning in order to provide the necessary platform for consultation and delivery of CFS at local level.
• Improves community links and community involvement.
• Acts to reduce the risk and cost to society from fire and other emergencies.
• Develops and maintains sound business management practices and processes to support delivery of CS and CFS aims and objectives.

Summary
Scottish Fire and Rescue Services - Community Safety Objectives

• Place Community fire safety on an equal footing with existing statutory duties for Fire and Rescue Authorities.
• Increase the role of operational personnel in fire prevention and community fire safety activities.
• Increase collaboration between representative bodies on the development and delivery of CFS in Scotland.
• Fire and Rescue services should proactively participate in their local community safety partnerships to ensure a multi-agency approach to community fire safety.
• Fire and Rescue Services should have closer involvement with young people, to enable them to realise their potential, with the aim of promoting responsible citizenship.
• Fire and Rescue Services should act to reduce the high incidence of fire crime and anti-social behaviour in Scotland.
• Fire and Rescue authorities should open up fire service facilities for wider use by the community.
• CS and CFS should be accepted as an integral part of IRMP and key to reducing societal risk from fire in ways that are cost effective and sustainable.
• Fire and Rescue Services should actively support regeneration and target disadvantaged communities.

The role of everyone in the Fire & Rescue Services in Scotland is to promote safer communities.

Appendix 1 Scottish Fire Services Community Safety Action Plan