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London receives top marks for performance |
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‘Performing strongly in all areas’ is the verdict of government appointed inspectors who recently visited London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA). At the end of 2006 a team from the Department for Communities and Local Government carried out an Operational Assessment of Service Delivery across London Fire Brigade. The assessment judges how well the authority is planning, organising and delivering its operational services. The assessment looks at five key areas: risk analysis; prevention and protection; operational preparedness; call management and incident support and emergency response. The brigade was judged to be ‘performing strongly in all five areas’ – the highest mark available – making it one of the highest scoring fire authorities in the country.
The assessment showed that London Fire Brigade has a ‘thorough and systematic’ approach to risk analysis. Designed to increase the standard of response to incidents overall, this has seen a number of fire engines relocated so they are now based where they make the most difference to improving fire cover by targeting those areas most at risk.
In the area of prevention and protection, strengths highlighted included the work of the brigade’s Arson Reduction Team and its youth engagement strategy, which aims to reduce anti-social behaviour by building closer links between firefighters and the community. The delivery of community fire safety and preventative work such as Home Fire Safety Checks – especially within hard to reach groups – also came in for praise with a ‘clear and well developed structure to deliver fire safety regulation and community safety services’. The assessors gave particular praise for the “well developed and thoroughly tested” emergency response arrangements in place for major incidents which ensure coordination with other emergency services, local authorities and relevant agencies.
Under the heading of operational preparedness, the work of the authority‘s Operational Response Team – which monitors and reviews performance at incidents and exercises – was highlighted, as well as the brigade’s London resilience and emergency planning arrangements in support of the London Boroughs. The robust arrangements in place to ensure business continuity in the event of a major disaster were recognised, with the provision of a permanently staffed fallback control centre ensuring call management and incident support functions are maintained at all times.
London Fire Commissioner Sir Ken Knight said: “We are delighted that the external assessors have recognised the high quality of the services that the London Fire Brigade and the authority provide, and the professional way in which we are providing them. We are not complacent though and we will continue to enhance the delivery of an effective, efficient and flexible fire and rescue service, that not only helps to save lives when fires and other emergencies occur, but concentrates on preventing them in the first place.”
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