National standards of fire cover

It is with deep concern that Conference notes the recent statistics relating to the provision of
emergency response in many areas across the UK.

With regards to the period of April 2014 to March 2015 it is deeply concerning that we have
seen reported by Government the longest 999 attendance times in 20 years, with vast ranges of
response times existing between different Fire and Rescue Services.
Conference notes:

• Record numbers of rescues carried out by Fire and Rescue Services between April 2015
and March 2016 (a 16% increase on the year before)
• The 15% increase in the number of people who have died in fi res in the 2015-16 fi nancial
year.

Devastating cuts to budgets of more than 30% have seen the UK Fire and Rescue Service
suffer the loss of approximately 9,600 fi refi ghter posts since 2010, something that has only
exacerbated the fragmentation of consistency of Fire and Rescue Service provision in the UK.
Conference condemns the continued patchwork approach to the provision of Fire and Rescue
Service cover in our communities, putting our fi refi ghters and the public at risk. Conference
believes it is unprofessional and unacceptable that our communities are subjected to a
postcode lottery in which the geographical location of a person or property determines the
response time and weight of response they receive. It is Conference’s belief that every single
one of our communities and fi refi ghters deserve the provision of equally high standards of’ Fire
and Rescue Service standards regardless of location.

Conference therefore calls on our Executive Council to immediately raise for negotiation at
the appropriate forum(s), the necessity to introduce national standards of fi re cover. National
standards must include standards that are fi t for purpose, underpinned by research and place
fi refi ghter health and safety and the highest standards of emergency service provision as a
priority.