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Fire and Rescue Conference 2008

Date of speech	28 August 2008
Location	Arena and Convention Centre (ACC), Liverpool

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Draft text of the speech - may differ from the delivered version.

Introduction

Thank you for that introduction Charlie, and thank you for your hospitality today. It's a pleasure to be here, not least to see the games. Fingers crossed that team GB can do as well in Liverpool as in Beijing!

I was pleased to meet some of the competitors earlier - including Liverpool firefighter Lauren McCormack - last year she was the only woman to enter the Toughest Firefighter Alive contest and came a very credible 80th out of 120 - and Mike O'Mahoney who with 22 years' service here in Merseyside is another local hero. Well done to them both, and to all the competitors.

I am also visiting the exhibition. And I've heard about the discussions you've been having on a huge range of issues - from flooding, to responding to terrorism, to recruiting the brightest and best to the service.

As the conference comes to a close, I want to:

• celebrate the achievements and unique role of the fire and rescue service;
• to reflect on the new and changing challenges it faces;
• and to look ahead to how government can best support, and work with the service, to help it do what it does best - save people's lives and more besides.

Celebrate achievements

First - and most importantly - not just from me, but on behalf of all the millions of people who rely on you - I want to say thank you.

Day in, day out, members of the fire and rescue service put their lives on the line.

They serve the community, with true professionalism, courage and dedication.

That calls for the greatest respect.

The statistics show the difference you're making.

Accidental fire deaths have fallen to their lowest level since the 1950s.

Of course, one death would be too many: but the statistics are going in the right direction.

And the service, in partnership with the Government, has been putting the pieces in places to push them lower still: particularly with messages on fire prevention.

The service has carried out nearly 2 million home visits since 2004. You've fitted over 2 million smoke alarms, with a special focus on people who need support the most - including single parents, and the elderly. That's a great achievement.

Many services are reaching out to parts of the community who are too often overlooked - going above and beyond, not just getting across the safety message, but making the most of the respect and trust that the community places in you to make a real difference to people's lives.

Look at the over 250 youth engagement programmes taking place in Fire Authorities up and down the country which were discussed at the Youth engagement conference just earlier this year. They're helping young people build their confidence, earn self-respect, do something positive with their lives.

Or take the partnerships between Fire & Rescue Service and organisations such as Age Concern, meaning that when home safety visits are taking place older people can also get advice on a range of other support, from home insulation to meals on wheels.

Earlier this year In Cheshire I met an 82-year old woman named Marjorie. As a result of a home visit, she had benefited not just from a new emergency alarm system, but a handrail to help her be safe on the stairs, equipment to help her hear the telephone doorbell and television more easily, and increased allowances which allowed her to employer a cleaner and a gardener. Sadly, Marjorie has since passed away: but I know from when I met her what a difference those adjustments had made to her life.

So there is a huge amount of good work to celebrate.

Second - change is vital.

But my second point is this.

If the fire and rescue service is to keep on improving, then we can't rely on doing things the way they have always been done.

The kind of challenges the service faces, and the conditions in our communities, are changing.

As the tragic events of the 7th of July 2005 showed, we have to contend with a new type of terrorist threat.

Last year's floods were the worst in living memory, and in years to come, climate change is likely to make such extremes of weather more common.

And shifting patterns of migration bring new people to towns and villages across the country, so to keep on spreading the fire safety message it will be vital to build trust and confidence in those new communities.

All this spells out the need for change.

Change in the kind of support that central government provides: change in the way services operate at a local level.

Charlie, yesterday you issued a challenge to Government - calling for a new relationship between Whitehall and authorities.

I believe we have all come a long way since 2004 and the Fire and Rescue Services Act, when Government did away with national standards of response and gave the service new flexibility to make local community safety plans, tailored to local needs, and empowered Fire Authorities to use resources for a wide range of emergency responses.

The emergencies we have experienced, such as the terrorist threat, Buncefield, and widespread flooding, have all demonstrated the benefits of mutual aid arrangements to give an effective response while avoiding the need for unnecessary duplication of specialist resources.

I acknowledge authorities' desire to go further in what, for want of a better word, let's call a devolutionary direction, with more local discretion.

I think the best way for authorities to show they are ready for more discretion is to display a mature approach on issues such as improvement and change: taking greater responsibility for the performance of the service as a whole, being ready to help bridge the gap between the fastest improving authorities and those who have further to go. When the sector can help itself it often finds the solutions faster and more effectively than Whitehall can. The more you step forward, the more you give government the confidence to step back.

But it doesn't mean central government is going to shrug its shoulders or let go altogether. Whitehall is there to set a national framework, to provide support and guidance where it's needed - particularly through the new role of the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser.

As we respond to new challenges, we can surely make the most progress by finding the common ground, listening and learning to each other. It is vital to keep up the debate.

That's why I strongly encourage you to have your say in the consultation on the National Procurement Strategy. And I'm looking forward to hearing what you have been discussing today in more detail, as we consider the next steps on some of the big issues facing the service.

I want to outline, very briefly, my thinking on three of those issues: dealing with floods: equality and diversity: and how you fit in with the wider services the community needs.

Pitt Review

First, Sir Ken Knight's report and the Pitt Review (external link) into last year's flooding.

Both Sir Ken and Sir Michael recognised the professionalism of fire and rescue services who rose to the task so magnificently, saving people in danger, reassuring people with concerns, and protecting the vital infrastructure, from power plants to pumping stations, that we all rely on.

Both also set out a series of lessons to be learnt - from Whitehall to the very local level - about how best to cope with similar events in future.

We accepted Sir Ken's recommendations, which fed into the Pitt report. The Government has committed to carefully consider each of Sir Michael's recommendations over summer, and to set out, in the Autumn, how we will respond.

But let me say now there is much in the report that I agree with wholeheartedly - for example, on the need for local flexibility, so that the fire and rescue services can work together with other groups such as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, to really focus on what matters in a given situation.

Or the need to keep on improving communications and equipment - which underlines the importance of the investment in the Fire and Resilience Programme, including New Dimension equipment, for which we have recently announced £80m of ongoing funding over the next three years, and the roll-out of the new and better radio system under the Firelink project.

Sir Ken also highlighted - and Sir Michael recognised - the problems associated with the high level of calls that some services were receiving at the height of the floods - with some areas simply unable to deal with the volume of calls.

The new regional control centres envisaged under FireControl could help the service cope more effectively in similar circumstances in future: and as well as helping handle a higher volume of calls effectively, they will also bring in the latest satellite technology to guide the vehicles on their way to help people in trouble.

As we look to the next steps of implementing FireControl, I know that control room staff are concerned about their jobs and know that the Fire and Rescue Authorities are looking at this issue very carefully. Making a success of FireControl has to be a partnership between us all, and I am committed to playing an active part in making it happen.

Equality and diversity

The second issue I want to touch on is equality and diversity.

As you know we've got the new National Equality and Diversity Strategy, drawn up in close consultation with services, and welcomed by groups from Stonewall to the LGA to the FBU.

For me what's important now is transforming its ideas and aspirations into practice, because this stuff matters.

When you're recruiting for any job - whether it's for a chef, social worker or the chief executive - aiming for equality and diversity isn't just the right thing to do, it's how you get the best people for the job.

But with the fire and rescue services - specifically in prevention work - gaining the trust and cooperation of different groups of people is important.

Making a connection is that much easier if you have people who understand and can relate to the different communities you need to reach.

So there's a double reason to get it right.

And it's good to see that services are taking issues of equality and diversity seriously and making progress.

The Equality and Diversity Awards earlier this year recognised the hard work and achievements of several services - such as Lancashire, where Burnley Fire Station's crews succeeded in building up strong relations with local communities after fire crews had been attacked by a group of youths.

And I'm delighted that the Integrated Risk Management Planning Group are today publishing some guidance on equality and diversity - along with guidance on other issues such as road traffic collision and wildfires - which showcases what has worked in different authorities across the country. It's not about a rigid blueprint, but very practical guidance that forces can adapt to fit the local circumstances. And not Whitehall making up the solutions, but services, unions, local government and others coming up with what works. That's the kind of work that can deliver real results.

I look forward to services everywhere learning from these examples and taking their work on equality to the next stage.

Speak up

The third and final point I want to make about fire and rescue is quite simply - don't hide your light.

Fire and rescue services are part of what makes a community work as much as libraries, or care homes, or hospitals.

You deserve recognition for that.

I know how hard you work with organising open days, or hosting community events. Earlier this year I visited Eccles station: and I know their own open day last September was a great success.

That work to raise awareness is part of what makes your uniform command such respect.

But I believe you need proper recognition not only from the communities you serve, but the partners you work with - local authorities, hospitals, and others.

So I think it makes sense for services to be a key part of the debate about the community's future, to make sure everyone understands the difference you make, and how you can work together in partnership.

That's why I'm pleased that so many services have taken an active part in the discussion about Local Area Agreements. With the work that you do having such a potential to make a difference to children and young people, to the elderly and minorities, or to those in poor quality housing, there is huge scope for making links with children's services, care services, housing and others.

And I believe getting involved in the Local Area Agreement discussion can help you build those links - without taking anything away from your vital job of saving people's lives.

Conclusion

Last of all, thanks once again for your courage, commitment and dedication day in, day out - and night in and night out too, not just front line firefighters but all those who work within the Fire Authority who support the high quality public service it provides.

It's good to have the chance to recognise your hard work.

I know you'll go away today proud of what you're doing, confident about the future, ambitious for what you can achieve.

So here's to another very successful year to come - and of course, a successful conclusion to the games.