Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service commended for good performance
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service has been commended for good performance after improving the way it serves its communities, a new report has found.
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Effectiveness, efficiency and people 2021/22 – Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) judged that Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service:
- is good at effectively keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
- is outstanding at efficiently keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks; and
- is good at looking after its people
HMICFRS said that since its last inspection of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service in 2018 the service had made good progress, including improving its prevention work and providing training to the people who lead its response to emergencies.
The inspectorate identified three areas where Merseyside Fire and Rescue is outstanding, which are fire prevention, major incident response and providing value for money.
However, the inspectorate said some improvements are needed – including providing fire survival training to control room staff, and promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in its workforce.
Her Majesty’s Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services Andy Cooke said:
“Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service has made good progress on the areas we identified for improvement in our last inspection in 2018. Senior officers are better trained to lead the service’s emergency response. More staff are on duty when demand is highest, and the staffing and location of fire stations better serves the communities of Merseyside. We were impressed by the way the service manages its resources to invest in frontline services, as well as its innovative approach to training.
“Further improvements are needed to the service’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion. The service does not have an equalities action plan with timescales, and not all staff have received equalities training. But overall, there is a positive working culture with excellent services to promote staff’s physical and mental wellbeing.
“We commend the service for its performance and very much look forward to seeing further improvements at Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.”
Today HMICFRS has also published the State of Fire and Rescue 2021, which sets out Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services’ assessment of the sector nationally.
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Effectiveness, efficiency and people 2021/22 – Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service
Notes:
- This is the third time HMICFRS has inspected fire and rescue services across England and Wales. The most recent inspections in 2020 considered how each fire and rescue service was responding to the pandemic
- Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service is part of the first tranche of 12 reports to be published for 2021/22. Reports for the remaining fire and rescue services will be published across the next year
- Later today we will issue a further press release for the annual State of Fire and Rescue
- For further information, the HMICFRS Press Office can be contacted at 07836 217 729 or HMICPressOffice@hmicfrs.gov.uk.