Fire Service Cuts - a Change in Direction for Fire Prevention?

CAMBRIDGE, U.K. - July 22, 2013 - PRLog -- Debate was sparked after former Chief Fire and Rescuer Adviser, Sir Ken Knight, undertook a review of efficiencies and operations in Fire and Rescue authorities in England and made some proposals for the future.

Fire Minister, Brandon Lewis, commissioned the review on 14 December 2012, suggesting that a radical reform was required. The main findings that Sir Ken Knight highlighted in response, published on 17 May 2013, delved into efficiency, resources, collaboration, structure and cost. Workplace Law have produced a special report looking at the possible outcomes of the proposed changes.

Clive Raybould, Fire Safety Consultant and Lead Tutor for Workplace Law’s NEBOSH Fire Safety and Risk Management Certificate, provides expert analysis to the review and subsequent proposals in the special report, ‘Fire Safety Reforms, will cuts to the fire service mean a change in direction for fire prevention?’

Clive comments:

“The whole argument is about money. I feel sure that further cost savings can be made; however, as highlighted by a recent Fire Brigade Union (FBU) report, front line services have already been cut back by around 10% over recent years.”

“As a society we should ask, are we only interested in the number of fires, deaths and injuries? Or should we be looking deeper into the effects that these fires have?”

The special report also looks at what is like to happen over the coming months and debates whether increasing the number of retained firefighters, those who train one day a week and are only called up in an emergency, could be the answer to cost savings.

- Ends -

Media Contact
Minnie Eve
Workplace Law
T: 01223 431 064
E: minnie.eve@workplacelaw.net

Notes to Editors
• Workplace Law’s Fire Safety Reforms report is available to download here: http://www.workplacelaw.net/personalStatusArea/download/id/2212

About Workplace Law
Workplace Law specialises in employment law, health and safety, and environmental management. An established market leader in the provision of information, training, consultancy and support services, the firm helps organisations to go beyond compliance in the workplace and build a better future. With a 17-year industry pedigree, Workplace Law operates throughout the UK from offices in Cambridge and London, and has recently opened an office in South Africa. For more information visit http://www.workplacelaw.net.

Workplace Law is a corporate member of the Association for Project Safety (APS) and the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM), and a special advisor to the Facilities Management Association (FMA). BIFM produces Think FM, the sector’s leading annual conference, in association with Workplace Law, and we are the BIFM’s specialist advisor on employment law, health and safety, and premises management.