Fire and Devolution-a chance to act-

Brian Robinson C.B.E. Q.F.S.M.Chairman, Fire Sector Federation

What is the Fire Sector Federation?

The Fire Sector Federation:

• Gives voice to the fire sector, bringing together representatives from over 60 organisations within the UK’s multi-billion pound fire industry

• Represents the wider views of the fire sector and provides authoritative advice and input on policy matters

• Works in partnership with all fire sector stakeholders and the Government with the aim of securing a safer society

The devolution agenda - where does Fire fit?

Government policy is focussed on Devolution, De-Regulation and Localism and the development of a “Northern Powerhouse”

• Population growth, an ageing population; Mega-Cities and regional governance• Massive infrastructure developments in transportation and building• Modern methods of construction moving at an incredible pace• Significant fast-paced change in the materials and products used in the built environment• Complex buildings requiring fire engineered solutions • Value engineering and lifecycle maintenance• Inconsistency in enforcement and response resulting in costs for businesses

What are the concerns of the fire sector?

• Is the retention of a national picture on issues from planning to fire service response important?

• Are the current rules and regulations adequate to support such change?

• Will localism and ─ removal/change/addition ─ of local planning rules have any effect?

• Will changes in emergency service governance & structure affect service delivery and fire safety enforcement?

The wider impact of fire and the consequential costs of fire to society

• What is the true economic and physical cost of fire?• Are current data collection arrangements fit for purpose? • Who owns the cost of fire? Where does the burden lie? What falls to the taxpayer?• What is the effect on lives, communities, the environment; property loss;

destruction of public assets; business disruption education of our children and the health service?

• What can we learn from fire experiences and case studies that translates into a safer future not a sad glimpse of the past?

The developing complexity of the built environment and the fundamental challenges it sets

• Responses to modern methods of construction, new materials and technologies• Materials testing – fit for purpose?• Influence of modern design practice and assumptions.• The fire safety design engineers: Friend or Foe of fire safety?• The key role of the design-specification-supply- installation chain.• The effectiveness and applicability of regulatory guidance for fire safety• Improving enforcement.• Securing better self-regulation by installers and system providers• Where does Building Resilience sit?• Devolution – devolved Building Standards?

The modern approach to fire safety founded on risk-based considerations

• Adequacy of current regulatory base and its interface with the approach of the FSO.

• Relationship with fire-fighting. Consequences for fire-fighting intervention policy.• Relationship with the risks of buildings and various occupancies.• Can building classification work?• The importance of competency. What core competencies are required?• How to determine competency and provide common levels of competency

assessment?• Accreditation of every aspect of those involved in the built environment

The bureaucratic cost of fire to business

• Is fire too expensive for SME’s?• Inconsistency of enforcement and response • What is the impact of cost on final design?• Restrictions in regulations and bureaucratic headaches between inter departments

disadvantaging business from developing.• Procurement costs - Reducing cost in supply chain – how can we improve

procurement procedures across the sector to avoid excessive Framework compliance costs and improve selection processes, whilst reducing barriers to entry for suppliers

The governance of fire safety for the public good

• Cross departmental Government committee for Fire?• A Construction and Fire combined “Supremo”?• Wider involvement of construction and building regulations authorities?• What does “better fire safety” mean in the context of the change factors that

apply? (Technical, social, commercial, political, funding, urban development considerations.)

• Collaboration with other stakeholders (Government, Construction, HSE?)• Where does Building Resilience sit?

The impact of blue light structure and organisation on levels of public safety

• Devolved administrations and devolved funding – National or Local common standards? Maintenance of national standards whilst devolving organisation, funding and control

• Who manages/regulates/enforces fire safety• Interoperability of blue light services.• Multi agency working• Is Europe friend or foe?• Technology and innovation – how can we encourage suppliers to support innovation

and technological advance to enhance efficiency whilst maintaining safe(safer) systems of work

Keeping Fire on the devolution agenda

• There are issues to be resolved• FSF wishes to work with Government and others to resolve them• The Fire Sector Federation and its Work-streams – fire professionals

working in partnership to secure a safer society• The professional voice of the fire sector