Our Performance
On average the Service receives around 10,000 emergency calls and approximately 6,600 incidents a year. We respond to a wide variety of incidents, including property and countryside fires, road traffic collisions, collapsed structures, water rescues, hazardous materials and animal rescues.
When assessing overall performance, the Service uses ‘Key Performance Indicators’ which are reported to the Authority’s Policy and Resources Committee every quarter – these reports can be found on the Service’s website in the P&R Committee section. The indicators are measured using tolerance levels to test whether the figures are higher or lower than the cumulative levels expected for Quarters 1 to 4 of the financial year.
External assessments
The national performance framework has shifted following the abolition of the Audit Commission and Comprehensive Area Assessments onto an emphasis on local Service Led Improvement. All public authorities, including the Fire and Rescue Authority, currently face a number of significant challenges. Budgets are tighter than ever before and, as we need to prepare for further pressures in the coming years, scrutiny and audit of our performance is more robust than ever. The requirement to maintain a strong performing authority in this challenging environment puts significant pressures on staff and the Service.
The Fire and Rescue National Framework for England, published by the Government in 2012, sets out what is expected of fire and rescue authorities in making their communities safer and this includes the requirement for the development of a public document which shows an understanding of local fire and rescue risks for the community and makes provision for prevention and protection activities to minimise these risks.
Community Risk Management Plan 2021-2025 (CRMP)
The Community Risk Management Plan 2021-2025 is our overall strategy for helping to keep people, their homes, businesses, communities and the environment safe from fire and other emergencies. It provides an overview of the fire and rescue related risks faced by the communities we serve across Herefordshire and Worcestershire and sets out our high-level plans for tackling those risks through our prevention, protection and emergency response services. These plans are explained in more detail in the Prevention, Protection and Response Strategies 2021-2025 and are available on the Publications page of the Service.
