A safety plan for both Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service and the Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service has been published this week, outlining the priorities that the services will be focusing on during the next 5 years.
This integrated risk management document was shaped by the views of the public after an extensive 8-week consultation process.
The plan focuses on risks in the county, people and how to best serve the needs of the individual alongside broader issues such as population growth and climate change. It considers levels of vulnerability, partnership working, local intelligence, industry-leading research and the commitment to continue to learn and look for ways to improve.
HFRS and IWFRS Chief Fire Officer Neil Odin has said:
“The role of the modern firefighter is evolving as we look for new and innovative ways to protect and serve the public.
“Both services have been rated as good in terms of effectiveness and efficiency by a new Government inspectorate and we are constantly looking for ways to improve.
“This plan is the blueprint for how we will continue to make life safer for our communities and provide a service our people are proud to deliver.”
Cllr Chris Carter, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority Chairman, has said:
“I am extremely proud of our service which I believe is among the best in the country.
“This plan sets out a clear road map of where we are and where we are going – constantly driven by our commitment to make the communities we serve safer.
“This will be further strengthened as the future Combined Fire Authority will be instrumental in its focus, to build upon the strong relationship between the Services of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.”
You can read the safety plan here.
This Safety Plan covers HFRS and IWFRS as the 2 services are preparing to come together under a Combined Fire Authority in April 2021.
So Hampshire Fire Service have a fantastic plan for Fire Safety on the island , why go to that bother the answer is simple, no more cuts to Fire Service personnel, No more Cuts of Fire Appliances, no more closing down of Fire Stations , Instead of Four Personnel on a front line appliance go back to having Five , get rid of the new “Two Men and a Bucket of Water” Front line Fire Appliances .
Seems to me the same old rhetoric as the last one, Hampshire have already cut the number of immediately available firefighters at full time stations, I even heard firefighters at Newport don’t even have 1st aid qualifications as the courses can’t be paid for!