Fire service delighted by ‘good’ report
BUT CHIEFS ARE FALLING SHORT OVER RECRUITMENT OF ETHNIC MINORITIES
WEST Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service has scored straight ‘good’ ratings in its latest inspection report.
But fire chiefs have been told they are falling short when it comes to recruiting black and ethnic minority staff.
Praising the service HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services, Phil Gormley, said the people of West Yorkshire had reason to be be ‘proud.’
West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (WYFRS) scored ‘good’ in all 11 criteria. They were:
Understanding the risk of fire and other emergencies
Preventing fires and other risks Protecting the public through fire regulations
Responding to fires and other emergencies
Responding to national risks
Making best use of resources
Making the fire and rescue service affordable now and in the future
Promoting the right values and culture
Getting the right people with the right skills
Ensuring fairness and promoting diversity
Managing performance and developing leaders.
Mr Gormley said: “We rated West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service as ‘good’ in all three aspects covered by our inspection process. This result is a credit to the service.
“Emergency response is good. Control room staff place ‘markers’ on particular incident types and addresses; this means that staff can quickly dispatch the most appropriate response.”
The report, the first in over a decade, did have some criticisms, however.
Mr Gormley said: “Incident command is generally effective, though we did find that some commanders are not always aware of how to employ operational discretion.
“While recruitment processes are generally fair and transparent, we were concerned by the lack of black and minority ethnic (BAME) staff. As of March 31, 2018, only 4% of staff identified as BAME, compared to a BAME residential population of 18%.”
But HM Inspector concluded: “Overall, the people of West Yorkshire should be proud of the service they receive from their fire service.”
Chief fire officer John Roberts said: “We are delighted with the results which are a tribute to the hard work of our 1,400 staff who put their hearts and souls into making West Yorkshire safer on a daily basis.
“This success is down to everyone who plays their part at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, firefighters, departmental and control room staff, who should all be very proud of what we as a team have achieved.
“There is, of course, always room to learn and develop and we will be looking at the commentary from the inspectors to address any shortfalls they have highlighted, but the overall picture is incredibly positive.”