Fire-related deaths, arson incidents and firefighter injuries are all lower than predicted in the brigade’s five-year improvement plan, a report says.
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service targets expected them to reduce deliberate fires to 584 this year, but only 358 have been recorded so far in 2018-19.
But the county brigade is expected to miss targets for fire engine arrival times, reduction of accidental blazes and damage containment.
Chief officer Rod Hammerton says the “challenging” targets are reviewed and updated annually, and their five-year improvement plan is on track. A fire authority committee will consider the report next week.
“The authority’s five-year service plan, which was approved in April 2015, set a suite of challenging targets up to 2020,” he writes.
“The targets were set up with a view to continuously improve performance.”
Like arson incidents, fire-related deaths and serious injuries are also down this year, with two of each compared to a target of 17 or under.
Similarly, there have only been 16 brigade staff injuries, with a target of 22 or fewer.
All these are in line with the planned 25% reduction throughout the five-year plan.
But Officer Hammerton adds that the 2018-19 target that “the first fire engine will arrive at an emergency incident with at least four firefighters within 15 minutes on 89% of occasions” is likely to be missed by three percentage points.
He adds: “Officers are exploring the results from 2018-19 in detail, to ascertain what changes have occurred in the profile of the incidents over this last 12 months, to better understand if this is a short-term anomaly or a predictor of longer-term changes.”
The fire service also planned to reduce accidental fires to 462 or fewer during this year. So far there have been 447, but Officer Hammerton’s report predicts that will rise to 480, over the target, by March 31.
He says this “has always been known to be a stretch target, and it is felt that continuing to aim for this will help to drive performance in this important area”.
The final target, that indoor fires will be contained to within one room on 89.5% of occasions, is set to be missed by just half a percentage point.
Shropshire and Wrekin Fire and Rescue Authority’s Strategy and Resources Committee will discuss the report and consider amending the 2019-20 service targets when it meets at the brigade’s Shrewsbury headquarters on Thursday, March 14.
Ludlow MP welcomes further fall in inflation
New community initiative aims to improve ground of cemetery in Ludlow
Long term plans for flood hit Severn communities
Farm buildings built without permission will stay
College will build 60 room boarding house after plans approved
‘Improved’ plan to replace turkey sheds with houses near Leominster
“Dismay” as schools library service faces axe
Shropshire Council plan to help homeless is “huge step forward”
