BV12i: To minimise the proportion of shifts lost to sickness – wholetime staff
The performance out-turn for 2004/5 was made difficult by the use, for the first time, of our new HR IT system that led to a number of data collation issues being identified and addressed. The performance level for 2005-06 shows a positive performance and is due to a number of cumulative factors including greater scrutiny of recording, effective management of cases, increased resources in human resources leading to faster OHS appointments and turnaround times.
BV12ii: To minimise the proportion of shifts lost to sickness – all staff
BV15i: To minimise ill-health retirements as a percentage of the workforce – Firefighters Pension Scheme
This figure can be particularly volatile due to the very small number of actual retirements that occur. However, the figure for 2005/6 shows another year of very effective performance.
BV15ii: To minimise ill-health retirements as a percentage of the workforce – Local Government Pension Scheme
As with BV15i, this measure relates to an extremely small number of staff who retire due to ill-health. However, our performance for the last three years has been very good.
Community Prevention objectives
BV142i: To reduce by 15 per cent the incidence of primary fires by March 2010 and by 30 per cent the number of accidental dwelling fires by 31 March 2009
Total number of calls to fire
This indicator reflects the total number of calls to fires that Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service has received. Our outturn figure for 2005/6 reflects a decrease of four per cent on the previous year. This trend continues to be encouraging and highlights our commitment to the national priorities and targets.
BV142ii: To reduce by 15 per cent the incidence of primary fires by 31 March 2010 from the 2001/2 baseline
Total number of primary fires
National and local community safety campaigns are impacting positively. We are currently performing within our original target to reduce primary fires by 15 per cent by 2010.
BV142iii: To reduce by 30 per cent the incidence of accidental dwelling fires by 31 March 2009 from the 2003/4 baseline
Out-turn performance for 2005/6 indicates an increase in the number of dwelling fires we have attended. Two areas in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes were identified in the latter part of 2005 as having a higher than normal level of incidents. Our Community Safety Team is actively involved in targeting their efforts in these areas to drive down these increases.
BV143i: To reduce the number of accidental fire-related deaths in the home by 20 per cent, averaged over the 11-year period to March 2010, compared with the average recorded in the five-year period ending March 1999
The reduction in accidental fire-related deaths in the home is a national targeted priority. Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service will continue, through a combination of initiatives, to retain this level of performance.
BV143ii: To reduce the number of accidental fire-related injuries in the home by 20 per cent, averaged over the 11-year period to March 2010, compared with the average recorded in the five-year period ending March 1999
Outturn performance for 2005-6 represents a slight increase on the previous year. The increase we have experienced in the number of dwelling fires has impacted upon this. However, Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service remain in line with the Government’s targeted reduction of 20 per cent by March 2010.
BV206: To reduce by 10 per cent the incidence of deliberate primary fires by 31 March 2010 from the 2001/02 baseline
Great strides were made during 2004/5 resulting in a significant reduction in arson related incidents. During 2005/6, Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service has experienced a 6% reduction, which indicates that whilst our efforts to drive down arson continue, we have reached a sustainable level of improvement.
BV146: To reduce by 30 per cent the incidence of hoax calls by 31 March 2010 from the 2001/2 baseline
The overall trend continues to decline in the number of malicious calls attended. While Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service has already achieved the 2010 target, we continue to further improve our level of performance and have seen a further decline of 31 per cent on 2004-5.
BV149: To reduce by three per cent the increasing trend in false alarms by 31 March 2009 from the 2003/4 baseline
False alarms caused by automatic detection equipment
Despite continuing to experience an increased trend in the number of false alarms received, Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service is aiming to reduce the rate of increase by setting a target of five per cent reduction for the top fifty worst offenders. While currently performing within target, our initiatives to target the top commercial offenders will continue to impact positively on this trend.
Community Response objectives
The Government recently repealed the national recommended standards of fire cover relating to weight and speed of an emergency response. This applies to LPI2a, LPI2b and LPI2c. Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service will continue to operate within these standards until such time as we have developed our own response standards appropriate to the needs of Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.
LPI2a: To ensure the number of fire appliances called to an incident meets the national standards of fire cover to a level of performance equivalent to the top 25 per cent of brigades nationally by March 2007
For the fourth consecutive year, we have achieved a performance level of 100 per cent. The aim will be to maintain this level.
LPI2b: To ensure that the number of riders meets the national standards of fire cover to a level of performance equivalent to the top 25 per cent of brigades nationally by March 2007
During 2004/5 and 2005/6, we took the decision to deploy certain operational staff into HQ departments that were under resourced and increased significantly the number of staff attending residential training programmes that took them away from their front line duties for a period of time.
In addition, we have established brand new capabilities such as the Urban Search and Rescue Team that provides greatly enhanced operational resources to the people of Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.
Our recruitment forecasting arrangements are becoming well developed although we continue to suffer a large number of transfers to other brigades thus leading to a disproportionate amount of recruitment and basic training activity and an inevitable difficulty in meeting high levels of performance against this performance indicator.
LPI2c: To ensure that attendance times meet the national standards of fire cover to a level of performance equivalent to the top 25 per cent of brigades nationally by March 2007
Percentage of calls where attendance times
met the standards of fire cover
Within the review of the local standards of fire cover for Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, we will be addressing this issue and ensuring that comprehensive risk assessments are carried out to maximise fire cover and meet the needs of all our communities.
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