Highlanders asked for fire service views
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Badenoch and Strathspey has just a week left to join those in Scotland having their say on how the national fire and rescue service should keep them safe.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service wants to hear views on its ambitious proposals which outline how the service plans to respond to and prevent emergencies and harm.
The comprehensive three-year plan includes enhancing partnership working, looking at the current operational footprint and equipping firefighters to respond to new and emerging risks such as severe weather
Further proposals look to supporting leadership and diversity within the SFRS workforce - and delivering the best, and sustainable, national service.
Submissions on the Draft Strategic Plan for 2019-2022 are set to close on Thursday, July 18.
SFRS Chief Officer Martin Blunden has reiterated calls to the people of Scotland to make sure they have their say.
He said: “We continue to lead the way in Scotland’s public sector by proposing to do so much more for our communities – it is absolutely vital that those same communities have their say on how we propose to do that.
“These plans are the culmination of a huge amount of thought and effort into how we can continue to provide a world class, sustainable national Service while meeting the new risks flowing from population and climate change.
“This includes a renewed focus on prevention. We have already seen the number of house fires massively reduced in recent years – and now we are looking at what else we can do, working with our partners, to assist people and keep them safe.”
He continued; “This consultation is a clear opportunity for people to have their say on how we are going to do this. This is Scotland’s Service and the country must have its say.”
The objectives included in the Draft Strategic Plan 2019-2022 are drawn from data and intelligence on the changing nature of risk within communities.
Any feedback provided through this latest consultation will be reviewed to inform the final Strategic Plan, which will be published in October after it has been approved by the Minister for Community Safety and laid before Parliament.
The SFRS will then develop a supporting performance framework and flexible three year programme that will include an Annual Operating Plan. This will be published each year and monitored on a quarterly basis by the Board and the Service’s Strategic Leadership Team.
Additionally, once the Strategic Plan is approved, SFRS will review and revise its 32 Local Fire and Rescue Plans - ensuring that the national strategy is reflected at local levels and that SFRS remains flexible to respond to unique priorities within each local authority area in Scotland.
The consultation can be accessed here: https://firescotland.citizenspace.com/planning-and-performance/draft-strategic-plan-2019-22/
It was launched in May by SFRS Board Chair Kirsty Darwent and CFO Martin Blunden (pictured centre).
