Have your say on Norfolk's Fire and Rescue Service proposals

Residents and businesses across Norfolk can have their say about the future plans of Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service during a public consultation running until 10 December 2019.

Staff will be available to answer questions and discuss the consultation in more detail at roadshow events being held at libraries across Norfolk, including King's Lynn Library on Thursday 3rd December at 10.30am to 12.30pm. It is available online at www.norfolk.gov.uk/irmp

Councillor Margaret Dewsbury, Cabinet Member for Communities at Norfolk County Council, said: “This is an opportunity for people to look at and comment on the draft Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP), which sets out how the fire and rescue service will achieve its goals of improving public safety, reducing the number of emergency incidents and saving lives.

“There are no proposals to close fire stations or cut services and the plans will ensure we enhance community protection, staff are best equipped for modern challenges and that investment is made to provide what is needed to keep our communities safe. We would invite and welcome the public to comment on the plans.”

The IRMP is a three-year plan for the service, from 2020-2023, and proposes investment in key areas of the service. It also takes into account the findings of a recent service-wide inspection by HMICFRS (Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services).

The plan looks at ways to enhance fire protection in communities and ensure the service has the best resources to do its job.

The full IRMP document will be open to comment and, in brief, the IRMP proposals are:

1. Investing more resources into fire protection so that we can increase the amount of support we provide to businesses to ensure their buildings are safe.
2. Reviewing how we respond to emergencies, considering changes in technology, vehicles, equipment, data and systems of work. We will use this information to develop a new concept of operations, showing how we plan to consider the above to meet the demands on our service.
3. Exploring the potential for co-responding with ambulance colleagues to treat people suffering cardiac arrests.
4. Maintaining our specialist water rescue resources, which are no longer funded by Central Government.
5. Changing the way we measure our performance. We propose to adopt a nationwide approach to ensure that all fire and rescue services measure emergency response times in the same way.

Members of the public can give their views on the draft plan, through the consultation, which can be accessed via www.norfolk.gov.uk/irmp.

There will also be an opportunity to speak to fire and rescue service staff at drop-in public engagement sessions held at libraries across the county.

Sessions are being held as follows:

• Tuesday 5 November, Wymondham Library, 11am-1.30pm
• Tuesday 12 November, Cromer Library, 10.30am-12.30pm
• Monday 18 November, Great Yarmouth Library, 10.30am-12.30pm
• Thursday 28 November, Millennium Library, Norwich, 11am-1pm
• Thursday 3 December, King's Lynn Library, 10.30am-12.30pm