Changes to day crewed stations

We propose to change our 3 existing day crewed stations at Andover, Havant and Winchester to continuously crewed stations. This will improve our response to emergencies whilst also increasing our capacity to deliver community safety in these areas.

We will achieve this by utilising resources identified in trials constructed during IRMP2 as well as using the emergency cover review and computer modelling system for precluding emergency cover requirements.

If accepted, the change would commence with Andover in 05/06 with Winchester and Havant being completed in 06/07.

Changes to Waterlooville

We have successfully reduced the number of emergencies in the Waterlooville area and the current nucleus crewed duty system does not make for efficient use of resources against the risk profile. We propose to change Waterlooville to retained crewing status.

Waterlooville is well supported by surrounding wholetime fire stations. If accepted, the proposal would release wholetime firefighters for redeployment to other fire stations or duties. We will maintain a dedicated community safety resource at Waterlooville and continue to deliver community fire safety initiatives utilising service wide resources.

Changes to Copnor

The emergency cover review of the Portsmouth areas has confirmed the need to review the location and types of emergency response resources in the Portsmouth area. In July 2006 we would commence a trial to relocate the emergency response resources currently located at Copnor Fire Station. These resources will be relocated at Southsea and Cosham between 1000-2300 each day. We will increase our prevention and protection initiatives in the Copnor area to reduce risk in identified problem areas. This trial will be run over 12 months to simulate the closure of Copnor Fire Station whilst still maintaining the same number of resources in Portsmouth.

Retained Personnel in Portsmouth and Southampton

We will be investigating the feasibility of enhancing our full time cover in Portsmouth and Southampton by using `Part Time' Firefighters on the Retained Duty System. Subject to the results of the feasibility study which started in September 05, we plan to initiate these enhancements in October 06.

`First Response' vehicle

We propose to locate a `First Response' vehicle at Redbridge Hill Fire Station in Southampton. This will enable us to:

· Evaluate the effectiveness of a smaller firefighting vehicle in the city

· Trial the effectiveness of a specific type of water fogging equipment for firefighting

· Evaluate the potential benefits of 2 person crews for response and prevention work

· Trial alternative crewing arrangements of the aerial appliance at this station

The vehicle will be used to attend secondary fires, e.g. car fires, rubbish, grass etc. and for the period of the trial will be mobilised as an additional appliance to the normal attendance.

Shift Patterns

We will continue to operate the 2 day, 2 night, 4 off continuous crewed duty systems. However, we propose to introduce changes to the work pattern to reflect our commitment to Prevention and Protection. It is proposed that we will introduce two 12 hour shifts based on the current 2-2-4 work pattern, amend weekend and Bank Holiday working to align with IRMP activities and develop a personnel reserve above standard crewing which can be redeployed on to day shifts.

On our Day Crewed Stations we will make the most effective use of the 42 hour work pattern.

We also propose to change the working pattern of our Flexible duty Officers and 42 hour day work staff. This will improve the effectiveness of our service delivery to meet the objectives of the IRMP.

This would commence April 2006 with final completion October 2006.

Reducing unwanted fire signals

Protection and Response will work together to trial alternative responses to calls received via automatic detection systems and reduce the number of calls received.

We propose to:

· Establish a dedicated AFD team within our Business Education Unit

· Target worst offenders

· Provide guidance and training to premises owner/occupier

· Adopt the CFOA model agreement for Remotely Monitored Alarm Systems

· Trial alternative methods of responding that will not render a fully crewed front line appliance unavailable for real emergencies (It is our intention to introduce this in June 2006.)

By introducing these new initiatives, we should start to see a reduction in calls from 2006 onwards.