The current response standard for GFRS set out below is also one of our 'Strategic Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)'. These indicators are monitored and scrutinised within GFRS and are also monitored and scrutinised as part of the council's performance processes.
The current response standards for GFRS set out below are part of our 'Service Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)' and are monitored and scrutinised within GFRS.
Response targets (above) are averages and based on responses from both on-call and wholetime stations. As the county is 88% rural, most of our stations are on-call, which means firefighters travel from home or work to the station before heading out to an emergency. This takes longer than at wholetime stations, where crews are ready to respond immediately.
We want to be clear about the services we provide, so that everyone knows what to expect from us and can hold us to account. Therefore, over the course of this CRMP we will establish realistic but challenging targets that reflect the different average response times possible from wholetime and on-call fire stations rather than only an overall response time. This will help us track our performance, take timely action, and provide the best service possible. We will also develop new RTC response measures.
To ensure that all staff are competent in their operational role within response, GFRS has a planned exercise and training regime. Learning and development together with the operational assurance team set several annual exercises. The exercise policy sets out the numbers and annual planning for GFRS. When planning exercises GFRS will ensure that neighbouring services (cross border) are invited and involved ensuring emergency service interoperability is tested and reviewed.
We utilise sites identified by the risk intelligence team as 'high risk' and that have site-specific risk information assigned, and/or a tactical plan. This enables joint work between, protection, risk intelligence and response teams to provide quality training and exercising at Gloucestershire's highest risk sites.