Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP ) Consultation 2022
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Our Community Risk Management Plan looks at the service we provide to you, how we plan to protect people, prevent fires and other emergencies to make West Yorkshire safer. 

Our consultation has now ended and we will publish feedback from the consultation shortly and the updated Community Risk Management Plan.

Cleckheaton Fire Station Consultation 2020
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Following the introduction of the updated integrated risk management plan (Your Fire and Rescue) a proposed change to the service was made through a public consultation. 

The proposed change was communicated to affected residents and local businesses. Residents and local businesses were encouraged to make their views known via the online consultation system or through paper based forms. 

The eight-week public consultation ran from 26 June to 21 August 2020 to seek views on the proposal to relocate the fire station from Cleckheaton to the Headquarters site in Birkenshaw.  

The key approaches used were:
Proactive multi-channel campaign to raise awareness of the changes and encourage comments/engagement using both organic and paid for communications. Channels used include: 

  • PR (local and community publications), 
  • newspaper adverts, 
  • social media (organic posts, targeted adverts, live digital events, short films, insta stories and engaging with community pages),
  • print and display at stations and in local community of posters, leaflets, banners
  • dedicated section on the WYFRS website
  • Requesting partners to share content eg local councils and via the LRF

Proactive campaigns to the key audiences in the affected areas around specific changes eg 

  • PR in community newsletters
  • targeting community Facebook pages
  • posters on community noticeboards and in local bus stations
  • targeting adverts on social channels to postcodes

Reactive campaign focussing on any community concerns. 

233 people completed the survey. From the responses in the survey results, WYFRS social media worked well in generating survey results with 65% having seen the consultation on Facebook. This is followed by newspaper articles and adverts (13%) and posters/leaflets distributed (9%). 

Read our press release about the approval of the plans for Cleckheaton station on the newsroom.
 

Your Fire and Rescue Consultation 2019
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Following the introduction of the second integrated risk management plan (Your Fire and Rescue), feedback from HMICFRS and work within the service around reducing risk proposed changes to the service were made through a public consultation.

The 10-week public consultation ran from 21 September to 29 November 2019, to seek views on:

  • Removal of an Aerial Appliance from WYFRS’s response provision.
  • Removal of the Day Crewed Close Call duty system at three stations. 
  • Reduction of the resilience appliance fleet from eleven to five appliances
  • Increasing the capacity of the Fire Protection Team.

The proposed changes were communicated to residents through WYFRS' website, social media, press releases, leaflets and banners. Information was shared with partners to amplify the reach of the consultation. Residents were encouraged to make their views known via the online consultation system or through drop ins/paper based forms. 

During the consultation 362 people completed the online survey. From responses in the survey results, WYFRS' social media and website worked well in generating survey results. 

Quality of Service
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West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) feels it is essential to analyse and publicise satisfaction levels for the full range of customers for all the main areas of our service.

One of the ways through which these views are obtained is the Quality of Service Survey. Each month, a questionnaire is sent to a selection of the incidents attended in the previous month. The questionnaire is sent out by WYFRS but is returned directly to an independent research company via freepost. The returned questionnaires are processed and the information obtained is analysed with a feedback report sent to West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

We include in our measurement of satisfaction specific questions relating to:

  • The initial contact made with the Fire Service
  • Timeliness of our attendance
  • Service provided at the scene
  • Information and advice given
  • Overall satisfaction with the quality of customer service

Below is a summary of performance results for West Yorkshire from the independent research company relating to 246 completed questionnaires for 2020/21.

Domestic (household) respondents (187 responses):
99% were very satisfied or fairly satisfied with their initial telephone contact with the Fire Service.
64% said that the Fire Service arrived at the incident quicker than expected and 30% said that the arrival time was as expected.
99% of respondents were very satisfied or fairly satisfied with the service provided at the scene and also felt that the Fire Service kept the effects of the incident to a minimum.
80% received fire safety information at the scene, in the form of general safety advice, 30% were offered a Safe and Well Visit and 23% received an advice booklet.

Overall, 99% of respondents expressed their satisfaction with the service received from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service; 95% were very satisfied.

Non-domestic respondents (59 responses):
100% were satisfied with their initial telephone contact with the Fire Service.
42% said that the Fire Service arrived at the incident quicker than expected and 53% said that the arrival time was as expected.
98% of respondents felt West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service kept the effects of the incident to a minimum.
98% of respondents were satisfied or fairly satisfied with the service provided at the scene.
80% received fire safety information at the scene, in the form of general safety advice and 15% received an advice booklet.

Overall, 98% of respondents expressed their satisfaction with the service received from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and of these 95% were very satisfied.

Complaints
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West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is committed to continuously improving the service it provides to the public and local communities, although there are occurrences when expectations have not been fulfilled and this has resulted in a complaint being received. All complaints are investigated and dealt with in accordance with our Complaints Policy.
Compliments and complaints comparison

Below is a graph showing the levels of compliments and complaints received by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service since 2002/03 with a total of complaints received for the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021.

Graphic illustrating these figures

Safe and Well Visits
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In order to monitor performance, a follow up survey is sent out to a sample of residents who have had a Safe and Well Visit (SWV).

Due to the COVID pandemic and restrictions preventing visits being carried out as normal, no surveys were sent out during 2020/21.  These have now recommenced in 2021/22.

In the year 2019 – 2020 a total of 483* completed responses were returned and a summary of the results is shown below:
*Surveys were not sent out for March as due to the COVID19 lockdown no visits were carried out in this period
 
Initial Contact

  • 98% of respondents agreed the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) during initial contact were polite.
  • The Home Fire Safety Check Visit
  • 100% of respondents agreed the FRS staff who visited the home were polite, helpful and efficient
  • 99% of respondents were satisfied with the amount of information given
  • 98% of respondents felt the advice given by the FRS was understood
  • In 83% of visits, new smoke alarms were fitted into the resident’s home

Overall Service

  • Taking everything into account, 98% of respondents were satisfied with the SWV service, of whom, 92% were very satisfied.

 

School Visits
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Due to the COVID pandemic and restrictions preventing visits being carried out as normal, no surveys were returned during 2020/21.  These have now recommenced in 2021/22.

Following Fire Safety School visits, that were undertaken by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service between September 2019 to March 2020*, an electronic questionnaire was distributed to the school teachers. 26* completed responses were returned and a summary of the results is shown below:
* Due to the COVID19 lockdown school visits ceased in March 2020 leading to a lower response rate compared to the 41 in 2018/19
 
Age Group

  • 00% of the visits were given to the key stage two age group.
  • Appointments
  • 96% of respondents answered that the original appointment was kept. Of the appointments not kept one was because the Fire Service was called out to an emergency, one stated that this was because the appointment had not been entered in their personal diary.

Length of Visit

  • 92% felt the length of the visit was about right whilst 4% thought it was too short.
  • Support materials
  • 96% agreed that overall the lesson was appropriate for the age of the class
  • 88% agreed that the visual aid and support materials were appropriate to the lesson and to the age of the class.

Presenting staff

  • 96% agreed that the presenters engaged with the group and that they were approachable and well informed.
  • 100% also agreed that the presenters were professional.

Satisfaction

  • Overall, 96% of the respondents were satisfied with the overall Fire Safety School visit, with 58% being very satisfied.
Calderdale District Customer Survey
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In April 2018 on behalf of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Calderdale Council carried out an online survey with their Talkback Panel to gauge public opinion of the fire service. 354 questionnaires were returned. The responses are shown below:

Question 1: How important do you feel the fire service contribution is to the community?

  Very important to the community Important to the community Not important to the community No real contribution to the community Don’t know
Frequency 282 60 1 4 4
Percentage 80.3% 17.1% 0.3% 1.1% 1.1%

 

Question 2: Are you aware of the different services that the fire service provides? Please tick each of the following services that you were aware are provided by the fire service:

  Responses Percentage
Firefighting 352 99.7%
Rescues at road traffic collisions 350 99.2%
Water rescues during floods 338 95.8%
Search and rescue during major incidents and disasters 307 87.0%
Rescues from high places 303 85.8%
Rescues of animals (including domestic and farm animals) 307 87.0%
Fire prevention advice 340 96.3%
Safe & well visits – visits that give fire safety advice and also offer a chance to chat about such things as crime prevention, falls prevention, cold homes, smoking cessation and social isolation 225 63.7%
School fire safety visits 304 86.1%

 

Question 3: From the list of services above, please state which you believe are the most important services offered by the fire service in order of priority – list as many as you think are a priority:

  Responses Percentage
Firefighting 293 90.7%
Rescues at road traffic collisions 230 71.2%
Water rescues during floods 166 51.4%
Search and rescue during major incidents and disasters 146 45.5%
Rescues from high places 134 41.5%
Rescues of animals (including domestic and farm animals) 124 38.4%
Fire prevention advice 173 53.6%
Safe & well visits – visits that give fire safety advice and also offer a chance to chat about such things as crime prevention, falls prevention, cold homes, smoking cessation and social isolation 102 31.6%
School fire safety visits 117 36.2%
Miscellaneous/ Non-specific 20 6.2%

 

Question 4: WYFRS carries out a number of activities to help our communities.  This includes working with partner organisations and assisting them by identifying and referring the vulnerable when they are at risk, taking part in neighbourhood forums and helping with local projects.  Would you like to see the fire service take on more community activities?

  Frequency Percentage
Yes, I think that the fire service should have a key role in community activities 217 61.5%
No, the fire service should concentrate on fire and rescue activities 94 26.6%
Don’t know 42 11.9%

 

Question 5: Do you feel that WYFRS is working to make your community safer?

  Yes No Don’t know
Frequency 275 9 66
Percentage 78.6% 2.6% 18.9%

 

Question 6: Do you feel you have enough information about fire safety to protect yourself, your family and your home?

  Yes No Don’t know
Frequency 266 50 32
Percentage 76.4% 14.4% 9.2%

 

Question 7: Do you feel safe from fire risk?

  Yes No Don’t know
Frequency 297 27 27
Percentage 84.6% 7.7% 7.7%

 

Question 8: On the whole, how satisfied are you with the services WYFRS provides?

 

  Very satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Don’t know
Frequency 213 109 2 4 20
Percentage 61.2% 31.3% 0.6% 1.1% 5.7%
Safe and Well / Safer Communities Strategy Consultation
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As part of the new Safer Communities Strategy, a four week public engagement exercise was undertaken from 7 February 2017 to 7 March 2017. The survey asked a series of questions relating to proposed changes to the delivery of our community safety activity.

This was delivered through a number of district engagement events and web based surveys accessed via West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service website.  An additional social media campaign generated 2,355 engagements over the consultation period. In total 1,949 completed surveys were returned during the consultation period.

Key Survey Responses:

  • 94% of respondents agreed that home visits by WYFRS should prioritise the most vulnerable
  • 96% of respondents agreed that home visits should be free for the most vulnerable
  • 84% of respondents agreed that low risk households with working smoke detectors should receive alternative provision such as online education or posted leaflets
  • 88% of respondents felt that we should train community champions to pass on key safety messages
  • The majority of respondents to the survey agreed that they would be willing to discuss their vulnerability to a number of safety, health and well-being issues such as crime prevention, risk of falls, social isolation, smoking and winter warmth.
  • The majority of respondents agreed with the outcomes West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service are trying to achieve

About the respondents:

  • 89% of respondents to the survey indicated that they had a working smoke alarm at home
  • 40% of respondents had received a home visit by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in the last five years
  • 74% of respondents owned their own home, with 10% Private rented, 10% Housing Association and 6% Local Authority owned
  • 59% of respondents were women
  • 73% of respondents were of White British background and 27% of respondents were from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups
  • 17% of respondents have a disability
  • 3% of respondents indicated they were Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT)
  • Age breakdown (16-34 – 12%) (35-54 – 31%) (55-64 – 14%) (65+ 39%)

Also our Customer Service Guide, which can be viewed via the link below, gives information on how services are delivered and how they can be accessed.