How we currently resource to non-residential fire risk Future challenges
Prevention: We carry out regular protection and enforcement activities shaped by our understanding of risk across the county. We have positive relationships with our business communities and as such we find that businesses are happy to allow us to have access and exit details including key holder information and other details that assist in us in providing an efficient service. Our business fire safety team engages with businesses to encourage best practice and educate communities to operate in a safe manner and we actively support national campaigns as part of regular awareness raising activities. A risk-based intervention programme overseen by the business fire safety team enables high-risk premises to be identified. Identified properties can then be further selected for tactical planning considerations. Qualified fire safety inspectors provide 24/7 cover for fire safety advice. We enforce the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which places legal duties on individuals and organisations to ensure fire safety in non-domestic premises. Our enforcement actions include:
Response: Crews also undertake ‘familiarisation visits’ to those buildings where there is deemed a higher level of risk. Fire crews build positive relationships with individuals based at these premises and this helps to ensure crews are familiar with higher risk buildings in their area, meaning a more efficient response should an incident occur. We have the capability to access large non-residential buildings and fight fires using high-reach appliances. We have specialist equipment and vehicles, for example water carriers and foam-equipped units to deal with hazards associated with non-residential properties. We carry out Site Specific Risk Information (SSRI) visits which are pre-planned inspections to gather detailed information about specific premises or sites that may present unique or significant risks in the event of a fire or other emergency. This ensures fire crews can access up-to-date risk information in a timely manner via Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs). This keeps firefighters and the public safe.
There are ongoing challenges recruiting and retaining qualified fire safety inspectors to deliver not only the current workloads but also meet the challenge of an increasing remit driven by the evolving building fire safety legislation. This is not a local issue; it is acknowledged across the sector. There is a need to access increasingly detailed, accurate and base data relating to premises to enable effective risk assessment and enforcement action to be carried out. The increase in energy storage systems and the risks they pose needs to be better understood by firefighters and protection teams, and specific preventative work around this area needs to be carried out with businesses. The pandemic precipitated changes in staffing models for businesses which has seen employers provide more flexible working environments for their staff members, including home working. Many businesses have maintained these changes into the longer term, and this has reduced the number of people using office spaces and may increase the number of buildings becoming vacant. Empty premises increase the risk of an increase in fire-related incidents within non-residential properties. The current two Aerial Ladder Platforms (ALPs) are very large meaning certain parts of the county cannot be accessed with these due to the size and weight of the equipment, the secondary unit is underused. More modern building materials used for commercial premises pose a significant risk to firefighters, and new technology offers potentially more effective solutions to protect premises whilst keeping firefighters safer. Forthcoming changes in legislation require early positioning and a robust response to ensure we can meet the challenges posed.