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Fire service “requires improvement” in four key areas
26/07/2024
Response times are worse and staff have experienced bullying and harassment
A report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services has found Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue service requiring improvement in four keys areas.
The assessment notes there have been many changes in middle and senior leadership positions with many staff in temporary roles as a result.
The impact of changes within the Oxfordshire County Council run service has adversely impacted work to improve the culture of equality, diversity and inclusion with the inspector learning that some staff have experienced bullying and harassment in work.
The service failed to meet its own targets for responding to fires, with the time taken for the first fire engine to arrive at a fire taking 11 minutes and 10 seconds – above the national average of 9 minutes and 13 seconds.
The assessment acknowledged the service had made some progress against areas noted for improvement at the last inspection in 2021, including addressing delays in staff being trained and assessed in wearing breathing apparatus.
But the service still needs to address the number of false alarms it deals with and how lessons learned from incidents are applied to its work.
The inspector said the availability of fire engines is actively managed to ensure a quick response to incidents, but this is becoming difficult due to a decreasing number of on-call firefighters, and the need to provide them with flexible working options.
Roy Wilsher, His Majesty’s Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services, said: “I am satisfied with some aspects of the performance of Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service in keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks, but there are areas in which the service needs to improve.
“The service knows it needs to review its current ways of working to make them more efficient. This ongoing work includes a review of its operational model, to reflect changing risk and the difficulties more rural services face in recruiting and retaining on-call staff.”
Four of the eleven areas assessed were noted as “requires improvement” with the remaining areas judged “adequate”.
The Fire Brigades Union has responded to the inspection. Steve Wright, executive council member for the Southern region, said: “This report paints a picture of a fire service in dire need of investment and leadership.
“It is shocking that response times have increased, meaning it is taking longer for fire engines to arrive at incidents. This downgrading of fire cover is the result of decades of austerity, which must be reversed.
“With reports of managers shouting at struggling staff members, it is no wonder that some firefighters have little confidence in how bullying, harassment and discrimination are dealt with.
“The Direct Entry scheme parachuting in senior managers with no experience of firefighting has only added to turmoil at the top. Meaningful progress on equality and diversity requires support, investment, and routes for development for the frontline.”
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam