Agenda item - Service Response to the Covid-19 Outbreak

Agenda item

Service Response to the Covid-19 Outbreak

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

Minutes:

Prior to the Committee’s consideration of this item, the following written question has been submitted by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and was read to members by Malcolm Townroe, Clerk to the Authority:

 

The FBU would like to thank all members and all departments for their part in providing a swift response to Covid-19. We understand the difficulty that working remotely can bring however as a service we have adapted to the circumstances and overcome the obstacles and challenges that we have all faced. With this in mind the FBU request that all additional work is in line with the current triparty agreement, and the extra work will cease when the triparty agreement ends.  

 

The following response was provided by the Chair:

 

Thank you for recognising the positive work being done by all within the Service and to all representative bodies for their engagement. These are unprecedented times where our communities look to us for leadership, support and compassion. I am immensely proud of how we have risen to that challenge which is echoed by all members of this Authority and by many from within our communities.

 

You will be aware that staff from all areas of the Service are undertaking this invaluable work on a voluntary basis, and that the tripartite agreement is only applicable to FBU members. The Service will want to remain engaged in this work whilst ever the community needs us, and where we can provide vital support to ease the hardship and suffering being felt by many citizens. I hope that the FBU will fully support us in those endeavours, providing assistance to people when they need us the most, as they have been for the past few weeks.

 

John Buckley, Chief Fire Officer, presented the report and highlighted the following points:

 

a)  The Service has temporarily been unable to operate within the formal governance structure while being unable to hold meetings, but members have been kept fully informed and consulted where appropriate. Their support has been much appreciated;

 

b)  The Local Resilience Forum (LRF) has been aware of the potential for a pandemic for some time and all Emergency Services reviewed their arrangements once the crisis in China became apparent;

 

c)  The Service’s investment in ICT has proved invaluable for enabling remote working;

 

d)  All staff have been confirmed as key workers and have been able to access key worker child care and now virus testing. Staff who are shielding are being supported;

 

e)  Initially there was a Service absence rate of 9%, which has now dropped (across the sector) to about 3%, possibly due to the discipline of staff and an understanding of contamination;

 

f)  Service delivery has been maintained and excellent availability of on-call assets of nearly 100% 24/7 achieved. There has been a low level increase of garden and rubbish fires, which have not caused any strain to the Service. On-call staff are thanked for their availability and responsiveness;

 

g)  The Service’s work continues with the National Joint Council (NJC) and the triparty agreement, whereby firefighters support partners including the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS), Coroners and support for vulnerable citizens. Additional, broader support has been made available for other partners, including risk assessments and Craig Parkin, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, has been providing support at a local, regional and national level;

 

h)  Initially there was a delay in staff volunteering for additional community support responsibilities, but then there was an overwhelming response offering a range of support, including for food banks, supporting delivery of food and community supplies. Thanks to the staff who have been involved and showed willing;

 

i)  All of the usual visits to business premises and citizens’ homes have been stopped with the exception of those at high risk. Consideration is taking place as to how this, and general preventative work, can start again but with appropriate protection measures in place. Statutory consultation and work streams have continued;

 

j)  The Service holds its own stocks of PPE and maintains a high level of resilience;

 

k)  Resources have been flexed to provide inspection support to the City Council to progress protection work. It is acknowledged that during this period, there will be other areas of work which have slowed or halted and a catch-up period will be required once the pandemic is over. Online training is being provided where possible;

 

l)  The worst scenario for EMAS has not materialised but staff are trained and available and prepared for the potential for further infection spikes. Although not yet deployed, 16 staff are trained to support the LRF with mortuary transfer and management if required, and face-fit testing for PPE is also being explored in the north of the county;

 

m)  All local Government Chief Executives across the county regularly meet virtually with lead emergency service partner organisations to share information, seek and provide support and ensure consistent messages;

 

n)  Regional Chief Fire Officers meet virtually weekly with the Chief Executive of EMAS;

 

o)  National Chief Fire Officers Council hold a weekly gold meeting, often including ministers and civil servants which feeds into Central Government’s ‘gold lead’. The Service maintains a high profile with Chief Officers actively providing support regionally and nationally;

 

p)  Communication and engagement with staff is regular, consistent and maintains social connections, including Occupational Health support for the mental strain of isolation;

 

q)  Recovery and returning to business as usual is the next stage of planning and includes recruitment which is likely to be more protracted than usual, although some staff who had submitted resignations have withdrawn them so they can continue to support the Service and their communities through this period, for which thanks are given. Staffing strain is likely to become apparent towards the end of the year so in preparation, it is requested that re-engagement of a small number of former firefighters is considered;

 

r)  Social distancing is likely to be required for some time yet and must be planned for all activity.

 

Members’ comments included:

 

s)  Thanks to the Chief Fire Officer and all of his team for the work being done. There needs to be some consideration of how Authority members’ appreciation to staff can be shown;

 

t)  Thanks to staff who are responding to community need, such as the Fire Officers who, due to issues in a small area of the city, are delivering controlled medicines. The Service as a whole has been very responsive and it’s very much  appreciated;

 

u)  The support of Fire Officers at community hubs, ensuring they can continue to operate to support the most vulnerable citizens, is very much appreciated.

 

Resolved to:

 

1)  endorse the approach taken by the Chief Fire Officer in responding to the Covid-19 outbreak;

 

2)  formerly thank the Chief Fire Officer and all members of the Fire Service for their efforts during the Covid-19 outbreak;

 

3)  approve the short-term re-engagement of operational staff to be utilised as part of a blended approach to maintaining critical staffing levels.

 

Supporting documents: