NORTH YORKSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY
Report of the Deputy Chief Fire Officer / Director of Service Delivery
10th February 2010
COMMUNITY SAFETY UPDATE
1.0 Purpose of Report1.1 To update Members on community safety activities.
2.0 Introduction
2.1 This report provides an update on community safety activities in terms of progress towards achieving the vision of 125 alive. Service Delivery is organised around prevention, protection and intervention services, the focus being to deliver a service which best supports the Authority’s Vision and Corporate Plan Targets.
3.0 Prevention Service
3.1 Summary of Prevention Activity
The table below shows a summary of prevention activities for the period April 2009 to December 2009 and for period April 2008 to December 2008. These activities impact directly on Corporate Plan Targets KPI1, KPI2 (Accidental fire deaths and injuries) and GPI1 and GPI2 (accidental and deliberate fire numbers).
April 09 to December 09 / April 08 to December 08Number of Smoke Detectors fitted / 5995 / 5435
Home Fire Risk Checks Completed / 4907 / 5042
Fire setter Referrals / 40 / 28
Community Safety Events / 3314 / 2661
3.2 Child Firesetter Network (CFN)
The CFN involves uniform and non-uniform members of staff addressing fire setting behaviour in children and young people.
The CFN has taken on a number of new cases in the last quarter and continues to be active with ongoing cases.
Following the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) training provided by the Integrated Childrens Trust, we have developed CAF processes and are actively supporting the common assessment methodology, input from the ICT has proved invaluable in this respect.
Area meetings are to be arranged this quarter for all members of the network. They will take the form of an open forum for the purpose of developing working practices, discussing problems and sharing ideas.
3.3 Local Intervention Fire Education (LIFE)
A LIFE course was successfully completed by ten young people at Skipton Fire Station from 30 November – 4 December 2009, funding for which was provided by the Youth Integration Service in Skipton. The High Sheriff of North Yorkshire, Mrs Francesca Horsfield JP visited the course on two occasions including the passing out ceremony.
The latest LIFE course took place at Ripon Fire Station on the 25 – 29th January 2010 and was funded by the Harrogate Safer Communities Partnership.
The next LIFE course is being funded by the Eastfield Participatory Budgeting Partnership in Scarborough and is planned to take place at Kirkbymoorside Fire Station from 1 – 5 March 2010.
In order to maintain the LIFE course facility an instructor training course took place at Training Centre on 19 January 2010 with approximately 24 trainees attending.
3.4 Home Safety Risk Assessments
During Home Fire Risk Checks crews help reduce risks to occupiers by replacing potentially dangerous equipment with new items. We currently replace electric blankets that are 3 or more years old or in a state of disrepair.
The following numbers of products have been installed from 1 April 2009 to 31 December 2009.
Deep fat fryers / 31Trailing socket extensions / 8
Single electric blankets / 120
Double electric blankets / 201
Previously Government funding was received for such initiatives but the facility is now provided from Authority budgets.
4.0 Protection Service
4.1 Summary of Protection Activity
The table below shows a summary of legislative fire safety inspections carried out for the period April 2009 to December 2009 and for the equivalent period during 2008.
Apr to Dec 09 / Apr to Dec 08Total number of legislative fire safety hours completed / 13751 / 14881
Number of legislative hours completed by specialist officer / 9367 / 11519
Number of legislative hours completed by operational crews / 4387 / 3362
Number of Fire safety inspections carried out by specialist officer / 1585 / 1310
New targets and performance indicators have been introduced to monitor completed audits under the Regulatory Reform Order (RRO). While there has been a slight reduction in hours spent delivering legislative fire safety there has been an overall increase in productivity in the same period April to December 2008 in terms of inspections completed.
4.2 Fire Safety Training
In November 2009 four North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) officers attended a law, evidence, procedure and best practice training course in Humberside.
In December 2009 17 NYFRS Fire Safety officers attended two days of training on the latest guidance document to be published in relation to design and management of fire safety within buildings, British Standard 9999. Three additional places were taken by candidates from West Yorkshire, Humberside and ministry of defence.
In January, NYFRS hosted the second module of the collaborative Regional Training on Enforcement. A total of 16 candidates attended from North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Humberside. The course covered advanced statement/ report writing and witness familiarisation.
The fire safety trainer along with the learning and development manager have engaged in the consultation of the revised National Occupational Standards for Fire Safety, making comments on the proposed standards set out by Skills for Justice.
4.3 Fire Safety Enforcement Activity
Enforcement activity undertaken by the Fire and Rescue Authority under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 between 1st April and 31st December includes:
Apr to Dec 09 / Apr to Dec 08Statutory alterations notices - (Planning Application / Building Use Changes) / 0 / 0
Statutory enforcement notices - (Essential Safety Enhancements) / 25 / 49
Statutory prohibition notices - (Restriction on Property Use) / 10 / 17
Any Notices which have been withdrawn are excluded from these totals in order to comply with the Environment and Safety Information Act 1988.
4.4 Community Safety Projects Update
4.4.1 Electronic Service delivery of Technical Fire Safety (TFS)
The project is aimed at reducing the volume of traditional paper based correspondence by moving to an electronic correspondence and filing system. Recent developments have been made to facilitate electronic consultations with building control.
The CFRMIS Mobile commenced on 9 November 2009 and ran for a 6 week period concluding on 18 December 2009. 4 Technical Fire Safety officers, 1 Watch based member of staff and 1 Community Safety Officer took part in the trial to identify what potential benefits there were to working on an electronic data capturing approach to fire safety. Initial feedback indicates the mobile facility has proved very effective, the trial data is currently being analysed to evidence the anecdotal feedback and a full report and business case will be presented for Directorate approval in February 2010.
The process of electronic Building Control Consultations with external organisations is being finalised and TFS staff in Craven operating the protocol and early indications are, that it is working well. The fully developed process will be made available by the end of January as a template to adopt across the service area in 2010/11.
4.4.2 Sprinklers
Arup Fire (fire engineering consultants) addressed the December Fire Safety Seminar hosted at Training Centre Easingwold. The emphasis of this event was to promote sprinklers at the design stage of building development. On this occasion the Seminar programme focused on Residential Care premises and over 40 guests, representing Building Control, NYCC, Housing, and the Care Quality Commission, attended the seminar. A draft service level agreement between North Yorkshire Building Control Partnership, NYCC Housing and North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Authority (NYFRA) proposes to provide a more defined framework for the flexibility which can be considered when sprinklers are installed in new residential care premises during the design and consultation process. This agreement will also form the basis for further agreements with other Local Authority Building Controls. It is hoped this model may be used with agencies and organisations which provide accommodation for vulnerable groups.
4.5 Fire Investigation
4.5.1 As reported in the December Community safety Update the Service’s investigation into a series of fires in the Helperby/Brafferton area led to a police prosecution resulting in guilty verdicts on all counts. The individual involved was from Helperby, near Easingwold, and has been sentenced to 2 years and 6 months imprisonment following pre-sentencing reports in December 2009.
5.0 Intervention Service
5.1 Notable Incidents
5.1.1 Incident No 09-07612
10th October 2009
RTC at Foxhill Farm, Hunmanby
In the late evening of Saturday crews from Filey and Scarborough attended an RTC on Malton road involving 2 vehicles. Crews used hydraulic cutting gear to release the casualties into the care of paramedics. One casualty was suffering serious injuries.
5.1.2 Incident No 09-07642
11th October 2009
House Fire at Charlton Place, Scagglethorpe
In the late evening of the 11 October 2009 crews from Malton attended a house fire. Upon arrival at the incident crews administered first aid to the occupants of the house. Both were taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation. One of the casualties died later in hospital the cause is yet to be confirmed.
5.1.3 Incident no 09-08169
1st November 2009
RTC at Skipwith Common
Crews from Selby attended an incident at Skipwith Common where a car had collided with a tree. There were no other vehicles involved and crews used hydraulic cutting gear to realise the casualty from the vehicle and into the care of paramedics. The casualty was taken to hospital suffering serious head injuries.
5.1.4 Incident no 09-08198
1st November 2009
Open Water Rescue at St Martin’s House, Hipswell
Crews from Colburn, Richmond, Snainton, Whitby and York, two Swiftwater Teams and York’s boat attended an incident where 3 people and the family pet had become stranded on an island in the middle of the River Swale. Swift Water teams were deployed to bring the individuals and pet to safety.
5.1.5 Incident No 09-08178
1st November 2009
Static Caravan Fire, Appleton Wiske – 1 Fatality
Crews from Northallerton attended a static caravan fire at Appleton Wiske. Upon arrival at the incident the caravan was well alight and crews extinguished the fire using hose reel jets. Following this, crews discovered one deceased victim. Reports have been submitted to the HM coroner and local community fire safety was undertaken by crews in the surrounding area.
5.1.6 Incident No 09-08471
9th November 2009
Car Fire, Hutton Mulgrave – 1 Fatality
Crews from Lythe attended a car fire at Hutton Mulgrave. Assistance was provided to Police and Ambulance Service in gaining access to the vehicle to remove the fatality. An investigation is been carried out by Police Crime Scene Investigators.
5.1.7 Several Incident Numbers
November 2009
Open Water Rescue at Heslaker, Carleton
Throughout November crews from Skipton attended several incidents where vehicles had become stuck in floodwater at Heslaker in Carleton. Several people were rescued from their vehicles by crews using lines and lifejackets. Following these incidents a press release was issued advising people not to drive through floodwater if at all possible.
5.1.9 Incident no 09-08576
13th November 2009
Open Water Rescue at Lane Side Bridge, Clapham
Crews from Bentham and Settle attended an incident where a vehicle had become stuck in floodwater under a railway bridge. Water survival guidance was given to the stranded person prior to the arrival of the Fire Service. The water had risen above the height of the driver’s door when they arrived and crews wearing waders and lifejackets carried the victim and their pet to safety.
5.1.10 Incident no 09-08595
14th November 2009
RTC at Leyburn Road, Masham – 1 Fatality
Crews from Masham and Bedale attended a serious RTC in the early evening of the 14 November 2009 involving two vehicles. Two casualties had been thrown from one of the vehicles and were suffering serious injuries. First aid was administered by crews prior to the casualties being taken to hospital where one later died. The other persons involved in the incident were released from their vehicle and taken to hospital for a precautionary check up.
5.1.11 Incident no 09-08750
20th November 2009
Major Flooding Incident in Cumbria
High Volume Pump crews from Harrogate and Richmond attended the major flooding incident in Cumbria following a request by the National Coordination Centre based in West Yorkshire. They were mobilised to the rendezvous point at Tebay service station prior to deployment at the flooding incidents.
5.1.12 Incident no 09-08758
21st November 2009
RTC at A19 South Kilvington to Borrowby
Crews from Northallerton and Ripon attended an RTC where a car containing five occupants had left the road colliding with trees and coming to rest in a field. Four of the casualties were in the care of paramedics prior to the arrival of the Fire Service. They were suffering serious injuries and a further casualty was trapped in the vehicle. Crews used hydraulic cutting gear to remove the roof from the vehicle and extricate the person for transportation to hospital.
5.1.13 Incident no 09-08942
28th November 2009
RTC at Nidderdale Way, Pateley Bridge – 1 Fatality
Crews from Summerbridge, Harrogate and Grassington attended a serious RTC in the early afternoon of 28 November 2009. They used hydraulic cutting gear to release the passenger from the vehicle into the care of paramedics. Sadly, the driver of the vehicle was killed on impact.
5.1.14 Incident no 09-08969
29th November 2009
RTC at A64 Bilbrough and Copmanthorpe – 2 Fatalities
Crews from Tadcaster and York attended an RTC where a vehicle had collided with the central reservation of the A64. Two occupants had left the vehicle and were knocked down by oncoming traffic which had tried to avoid the initial accident. First aid was administered at the scene but one person was killed on impact and the other died later in hospital.
5.1.15 Incident no 09-09023
30th November 2009
House Fire at Carter Avenue, Tang Hall
Crews from York attended a house fire in the early hours of 30 November 2009 where they used breathing apparatus to search the premises and used jets to extinguish the fire. York CID requested a fire investigation be carried out following the incident.
5.1.16 Incident no 09-09060
1st December 2009
Rescue from Structure at William Hares Factory, Scarborough
Crews from Scarborough were mobilised to assist with the releasing of a casualty who had become trapped under steel plates. The person was released and taken to hospital by ambulance for further treatment.