Written Question · S3W-11698 · Session 3
What the average response times were for emergency fire brigade call-outs in each year since 1997, also broken down by fire brigade.
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average response times were for emergency fire brigade call-outs in each year since 1997, also broken down by fire brigade.
The answer
Information on the average response times for emergency call-outs is not held centrally. With the passing by Parliament of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the creation of a fire and rescue framework for Scotland, a new locally determined risk-assessed methodology for deploying fire authority resources was introduced; integrated risk management plans (IRMP).
Prior to the introduction of IRMP there were recommended standards of fire cover which originated from 1936 and were based on the characteristics of property and buildings in each area. The greater the density of buildings in an area, the greater the fire fighting resources that were provided. The effect of this was that, primarily, and for much of the time, fire service resources were targeted at protecting buildings (often unoccupied) rather than people. The previous recommended standards were also inflexible and didn''t allow for local discretion by fire and rescue boards to take account of local circumstances.
Until reporting year 2004-05, information on attendance times formed a performance monitoring measure recorded by Audit Scotland and is published on the Performance Information section of the Audit Scotland website, at the following web address:
http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/performance/fire/.
Prior to the introduction of IRMP there were recommended standards of fire cover which originated from 1936 and were based on the characteristics of property and buildings in each area. The greater the density of buildings in an area, the greater the fire fighting resources that were provided. The effect of this was that, primarily, and for much of the time, fire service resources were targeted at protecting buildings (often unoccupied) rather than people. The previous recommended standards were also inflexible and didn''t allow for local discretion by fire and rescue boards to take account of local circumstances.
Until reporting year 2004-05, information on attendance times formed a performance monitoring measure recorded by Audit Scotland and is published on the Performance Information section of the Audit Scotland website, at the following web address:
http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/performance/fire/.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S3W-11698 by reference.